Definition

Noun: 1. A small, active, carnivorous dinosaur of the late Cretaceous period, characterized by a long, stiff tail, a large sickle-shaped claw on each hind foot, and a likely close evolutionary relationship to birds.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The velociraptor was a swift and intelligent predator.
  • Paleontologists discovered a fossil of a velociraptor locked in combat with a protoceratops.
  • The museum's exhibit features a detailed skeleton of a velociraptor.

Advanced Usage

• In scientific and popular contexts, the velociraptor is often cited as key evidence for the evolutionary link between theropod dinosaurs and modern birds.
• The term is frequently used in comparative descriptions of agility and predatory behavior.

Variants and Related Words

• Raptor (n): A general term for bird-of-prey or, informally in paleontology, for dromaeosaurid dinosaurs like the velociraptor.
• Dromaeosaurid (n): The family of theropod dinosaurs to which the velociraptor belongs.

Synonyms

• Predatory dinosaur
• Theropod (broader scientific classification)

Related Phrases

• Pack hunter: A term often applied in speculative descriptions of velociraptor behavior, suggesting they hunted in groups.

Noun

1. small active carnivore that probably fed on protoceratops; possibly related more closely to birds than to other dinosaurs