Creature Features

noun a term coined by cartoonist Gary Larson in a 1982 Far Side comic strip to refer to the distinctive arrangement of four to ten spikes on the tails of stegosaurid dinosaurs

• The paleontologist pointed out the thagomizer on the fossilized stegosaurus tail.
• Check out the spikes on the end of that stegosaurus tail, also known as a thagomizer.
• The thagomizer on that dino's tail looks pretty gnarly.
• Her wit was like a thagomizer, sharp and piercing in its impact.

noun a mythical creature that is half human and half fish, typically male

• The ancient myth of the merman has been passed down through generations.
• I saw a cool movie about a merman last night.
• That dude at the beach totally looks like a merman with his long hair and speedo.
• His ability to navigate both the land and sea earned him the nickname 'merman'.