Lesothosaurus is a genus of small, herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period. The name Lesothosaurus is derived from the country of Lesotho, where the first fossils of this dinosaur were discovered. While there are no direct synonyms for the word Lesothosaurus, there are other terms used to describe dinosaurs from the same family, such as ornithischian, thyreophoran, and stegosaur. Ornithischians, also known as "bird-hipped" dinosaurs, were known for their bird-like hip structure. Thyreophorans were armored herbivorous dinosaurs, which includes stegosaurs and ankylosaurs. Stegosaurs were recognizable for the plates or spikes on their backs and tails.