deinonychus

See also: Deinonychus

English

Artist’s impression of Deinonychus.

Wikispecies

Etymology

From translingual Deinonychus (1969), from Ancient Greek δεινός (deinós, “fearful, terrible”) (see dinosaur) + ὄνυξ (ónux, “nail, claw, talon”).

Noun

deinonychus (plural deinonychuses or deinonychi)

1. A medium agile dinosaur, of the genus Deinonychus, of the Cretaceous period, characterized by having a large, curved claw on each hind foot.

   Synonym: (nonstandard) velociraptor

   • 1990 November, Allen Steele, “Trembling Earth”, in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, volume 14, numbers 11–12 (whole 162–163), New York, N.Y.: Davis Publications, Inc., section 1 (The Mesozoic Express), page 64:

     The first attempts were made on the remains of duckbill dinosaurs found in the Coleville River dig, but the real success was made when the University located the remains of three deinonychi at an Amoco drill site on the Alaskan North Slope.

   • 1994, Gwyneth Jones, North Wind, New York, N.Y.: Tor, published 1996, →ISBN, page 224:

     Bella kept half an eye out for the deinonychi. The deinonychus dinosaurs with the teeth and raking claws were big solid humans in the real.

   • 1997, Diane Duane, The Book of Night with Moon, New York, N.Y.: Aspect, Warner Books, →ISBN, page 248:

     In that chamber, lying curled, or sitting hunched, were five saurians: two deinonychi and three smaller ones that looked like some kind of miniature tyrannosaur.