Dinosaur names

[vipes]

Were dinosaurs named in latin or greek?

Sorry if this is abit off-forum, but i'd really like to know, thanks

[tcvarlh]

From what I know over 90% Greek and only now and again Latin, mixed with Greek, in cases where the Greek had been used previously.
h

[loripo]

There is a good list for reference here:

Dinosaur Name Roots-Zoom Dinosaurs

As Greek and Latin are 'fixed meaning' languages they are used in preference to say English which is a live langauge where meaning can change over time.
Think of 'cool' or 'wicked' - in fifty years or so these words might only have their current slang meanings.

[tcvarlh]

I should have added that location and discoverer nomenclature is also used, especially with some of the more recent Chinese species.
h

ps
http://www.dinodictionary.com/azdict_index.asp

[Adam Cheeseman]

I believe the name Dinosaur came from the Greek, meaning Thunder Lizard.

[vipes]

Thanks, guys! I got what I needed

And a cookie for anyone who can guess why I needed them :P

[loripo]

You've found one! Doesn't count if it's from Exeno and not from Earth
(And I've got too many Cookies on my system now anyway)

[charlieb]

Scientific names are latinized words - they could be latin, greek, english etc but are treated grammatically as latin.

[vipes]

Sorrry, I don't understand.

Can you dumb that down a bit for me