plural geckos also geckoes
: any of numerous small chiefly tropical and nocturnal insectivorous lizards (family Gekkonidae)

Illustration of gecko

Illustration of gecko

Examples of gecko in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web So far, Luc’s bent-toed gecko has only been found at one site in Lao Cai Province, the study said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2024 And not just a giant gecko, but a giant gecko that must be transported through a massive obstacle course. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 15 Feb. 2024 Other companies to consider Geico While Geico is known for the ever-present gecko in its advertising, Geico was a contender as a top insurer because of its low rates, particularly for state-minimum coverage. Kat Tretina, wsj.com, 5 Dec. 2023 Plus creativity is elusive, so even if your brand looks a lot like Geico, the gecko idea is a kind of lightning that won’t strike twice. Erik Huberman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2023 These are the teams that dream up big-picture concepts, like the Geico gecko or the Energizer bunny. Erik Huberman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2023 Those reptiles, including a ball python and a leopard gecko, went home with Michelle Crow, president and co-founder of North Texas Reptile Rescue. Sasha Richie, Dallas News, 16 Aug. 2023 On one side of the cube, viewers can see a TikTok of Charli D’Amelio promoting Dunkin’ Donuts while the other shows clips of the GEICO gecko cascading down. Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2023 An overtly Australian alligator named Leatherhead (Rose Bryne), a super chill skateboarding gecko named Mondo Gecko (Paul Rudd) and an R&B-singing manta ray named Ray Fillet (Post Malone), among many others, make up this ragtag gang. Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 2 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gecko.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Malay dialect geʔkok

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gecko was in 1774

Dictionary Entries Near gecko

Cite this Entry

“Gecko.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gecko. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gecko

noun
plural geckos or geckoes
: any of numerous small harmless chiefly tropical lizards that eat insects and are active at night

More from Merriam-Webster on gecko

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