reptile

1 of 2

noun

rep·​tile ˈrep-ˌtī(-ə)l How to pronounce reptile (audio)
-tᵊl
1
: an animal that crawls or moves on its belly (such as a snake) or on small short legs (such as a lizard)
2
: any of a class (Reptilia) of cold-blooded, air-breathing, usually egg-laying vertebrates that include the alligators and crocodiles, lizards, snakes, turtles, and extinct related forms (such as dinosaurs and pterosaurs) and that have a body typically covered with scales or bony plates and a bony skeleton with a single occipital condyle, a distinct quadrate bone usually immovably articulated with the skull, and ribs attached to the sternum
3
: a groveling or despised person

reptile

2 of 2

adjective

: characteristic of a reptile : reptilian

Examples of reptile in a Sentence

Noun He called the governor's top aide a reptile. the actor plays a total reptile who's somehow still a hit with the ladies
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Wildlife Beyond the 1,500 blooming plants, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to around 65 species of mammals, over 200 varieties of birds, 67 native fish species, and more than 80 types of reptiles and amphibians. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 The reptiles are considered the heaviest snakes in the world. Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 For example, in 2022, a California man was arrested for smuggling alligator lizards, among other reptiles, in his pants from Mexico into the U.S., as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Scott Travers, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Rossi doesn’t believe the reptile fossil was intentionally forged. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 Undeterred, Smoak kept coming by the store to ask about the reptile and was able to talk the price down. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Feb. 2024 Kids activity zone, face painting, bounce house, petting zoo, reptile exhibit, games, more. Michelle Jenkins, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Board a boat that follows the coastline to the park, home to about 140 species of mammals, 116 reptiles and 400 birds. Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Why rattlesnakes are beneficial:Arizona's famous reptile deserves respect Common Arizona rattlesnake species Western diamondback rattlesnake. The Arizona Republic, 22 Feb. 2024
Adjective
For him, a flashy reptile leather jacket was worn with a mesh top and jeans, but there was also a dark blue double-breasted suit for more formal business occasions. Colleen Barry, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2022 Currently, it can be seen in the aquatic and reptile center. Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2023 Some sampling studies suggest the reptile snacks reduce local snake populations by about 40 percent. Bethany Brookshire, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022 There's a terrifying reptile version of a turducken, just in time for Thanksgiving. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2022 Future studies of the fossil species may one day reveal why once-diverse reptile groups declined so dramatically with time. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022 That, in turn, will attract birds and small mammals, as well as reptile predators such as snakes and lizards. Derek Hawkins, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022

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

Noun

Middle English reptil, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French reptile (feminine), from Late Latin reptile (neuter), from neuter of reptilis creeping, from Latin reptus, past participle of repere to crawl; akin to Lithuanian rėplioti to crawl

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1607, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near reptile

Cite this Entry

“Reptile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reptile. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reptile

1 of 2 noun
rep·​tile ˈrep-tᵊl How to pronounce reptile (audio)
-ˌtīl
: any of a group of cold-blooded air-breathing vertebrates (as snakes, lizards, turtles, and alligators) that usually lay eggs and have skin covered with scales or bony plates

reptile

2 of 2 adjective
: characteristic of a reptile : reptilian

More from Merriam-Webster on reptile

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