What Is The Meaning Of The Word Dinosaur?

Dinosaur actually means 'terrible lizard' and they were so called because they were reptiles, similar to lizards, but their size would make them terrifying to humans, so they were in fact 'terrible lizards'.  Although not all dinosaurs were massive, most were.
However, they were also one of the first animals who could survive well on earth and in evolution they are very important.
One particular dinosaur, the archaeopterix lived between 160 and 140 million years ago and although tiny (it was around the size of a modern chicken) it is thought that it is actually the 'missing link' between dinosaurs an birds and is in fact the ancestor of the earliest form of bird.
It is thought that dinosaurs became extinct around 65 million years ago, so they existed on earth between 75 and 95 million years, which is quite a feat.  Their extinction arose from climate changes which were caused by a meteorite which hit the earth around 65 million years ago.  This destroyed their natural habitat and so they died out.

It means Terribly Lizard

Terrible lizard

Fearfully great lizards