# Jurassic

/dʒʊˈɹæsɪk/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jurassic
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. geological period

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

relating to the time between 200 and 145 million years ago when dinosaurs were the main animals on Earth.

For teachers: pertaining to the second period of the Mesozoic era, occurring between the Triassic and Cretaceous periods.

- The museum has a large collection of fossils from the Jurassic period.
- Geologists identified specific limestone layers as Jurassic by analyzing the unique ammonite fossils embedded within the rock strata.

Usage: Usually capitalized when referring to the specific geological time period.

### 2. old-fashioned

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal · Humorous

very old-fashioned or out of date, like something from a long time ago.

For teachers: extremely outdated, obsolete, or old-fashioned in a way that suggests being a relic of a past era.

- My dad's mobile phone is practically Jurassic; it doesn't even have a camera.
- The company's IT infrastructure was Jurassic, relying on legacy systems that had not been updated since the late nineties.

### 3. the time period

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the specific time in Earth's history when dinosaurs lived.

For teachers: the geological period from approximately 201 to 145 million years ago.

- Many famous dinosaurs, like the Stegosaurus, lived during the Jurassic.
- The Jurassic was characterized by a warm, wet climate that allowed lush vegetation and giant reptiles to thrive across the supercontinent.

## Examples

- The museum has a large collection of Jurassic fossils.
- The scientist discovered a new species of dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period.
- While the film focuses on the Jurassic era, many of the creatures depicted actually thrived during the later Cretaceous period, leading to some scientific debate among viewers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.