adjective
- of, relating to, or denoting dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles that are not classified as birds or avian dinosaurs
Usage: scientific/paleontological term; used in contrast to avian dinosaurs
Examples
- Nonavian dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct 66 million years ago.
- The fossil record shows significant differences between nonavian and avian dinosaurs.
- Paleontologists study nonavian theropods to understand dinosaur evolution.
- Nonavian reptiles dominated terrestrial ecosystems during the Mesozoic Era.