lizard

noun

liz·​ard ˈli-zərd How to pronounce lizard (audio)
1
: any of a suborder (Lacertilia) of reptiles distinguished from the snakes by a fused inseparable lower jaw, a single temporal opening, two pairs of well differentiated functional limbs which may be lacking in burrowing forms, external ears, and eyes with movable lids
broadly : any relatively long-bodied reptile (such as a crocodile or dinosaur) with legs and tapering tail
2
: leather made from lizard skin

Examples of lizard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Kering stopped using animal fur, starting with Gucci, in 2017, but did not join Chanel when the luxury brand opted to to end its use of exotic skins from lizards, snakes and crocodiles. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024 Christopher Ward was bitten by one of his two lizards on Feb. 12 in Lakewood, the Associated Press and The Denver Post reported. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024 These massive marine reptiles, a type of aquatic lizard, evolved into a diverse array of species, with some reaching lengths of up to 60 feet. Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024 But although Hollywood’s approach to translating the monster has relied on pure silly spectacle—understandable for a series about a nuclear lizard beast smashing cities—Japan has, of late, found new and original angles on its kaiju hero. David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2024 The team also discovered a second new species of wood lizard. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2024 Her boyfriend went back for her, sometimes to feed the family’s lizard or to retrieve the mail. Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 1 Feb. 2024 For her birthday, her dad gifts her a pet lizard, which, unbeknownst to her, also happens to be an experimental robotic protector. Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Officers working with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources sent the lizards to Reptile Gardens outside Rapid City, South Dakota. Mead Gruver, The Arizona Republic, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lizard.' 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

Middle English liserd, from Anglo-French lesarde, from Latin lacerta

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lizard was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lizard

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

lizard

noun
liz·​ard ˈliz-ərd How to pronounce lizard (audio)
: any of a group of reptiles that can be told apart from the related snakes by their lower jaw which has the two halves joined and inseparable, by ears which are outside the body, by eyes with movable lids, and usually by two pairs of functional limbs

More from Merriam-Webster on lizard

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