Dinosaurs were the main animals on Earth for more than 150 million years. Most of them looked like big lizards. Some of them were the largest and scariest creatures that ever walked on land. The word dinosaur comes from Greek words meaning “terrible lizard”.
The last dinosaurs became extinct, or died out, about 65 million years ago. Fossils of dinosaurs were first discovered in the early 1800s. Fossils are remains of a plant or animal that have been preserved in rock. By studying these fossils, scientists know that dinosaurs were the ancient cousins of today’s crocodiles, snakes, and lizards. Scientists also believe that today’s birds are relatives of dinosaurs.
Adapted from "Dinosaur", Britannica Kids, Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 Aug. 2020. kids.britannica.com/kids/article/dinosaur/353055