Which evolutionary scientist coined the term “dinosaur” in 1842?

Richard Owen coined the term “dinosaur” in 1842. He formed the name Dinosauria from Greek words meaning “terrible lizard” while classifying several large fossil reptiles.

Owen recognized that animals such as Megalosaurus, Iguanodon, and Hylaeosaurus shared distinctive anatomical features. He grouped them into a new taxonomic category, although modern paleontologists understand dinosaurs as a much more diverse evolutionary lineage than Owen did.

Owen later became a prominent critic of Darwin’s evolutionary interpretation. The naming of Dinosauria nevertheless provided a durable scientific framework for studying these animals and their evolutionary relationships.