dˌɪnəsˈɔːɹɪfˌoːɹmz wʌz kˈɔɪnd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː baɪ ˈɛf.ˈiː. nˈoʊvəz, hˌuː jˈuːzd ɪt tʊ ɛŋkˈʌmpəs dˈaɪnəsˌɔːɹz, lˈæɡəsˌʌtʃəs, "sˈuːdoʊlˌæɡəsˌʌtʃəs" ˈiːkwəlz lˈuːɪsˌʌtʃəs, ænd ðə hˌɛɹɚɹɐsˈɔːɹɪdz, wˌɪtʃ hiː dɪdnˌɑːt kənsˈɪdɚ tə bˈiː "juːdˈɪnəsˌɔːɹz" tɹˈuː dˈaɪnəsˌɔːɹz lˈaɪk ˌɔːɹnɪθˈɪskiənz ænd sɔːɹˈɪskiənz.
Dinosauriformes was coined in 1992 by F.E. Novas, who used it to encompass dinosaurs, Lagosuchus, "Pseudolagosuchus" (=Lewisuchus), and the herrerasaurids, which he did not consider to be "eudinosaurs" (true dinosaurs like ornithischians and saurischians).