alligator
n. countablen. a large reptile with a long snout and strong jaws, found in warm areas like swamps and rivers. It looks similar to a crocodile but has a wider snout.
n. a large semiaquatic reptile of the family Alligatoridae, native to North and South America and China, characterised by a broad snout and powerful jaws.
The alligator swims slowly in the warm water.
Tourists on the boat watched the large alligator resting on the muddy bank under the hot sun.
The American alligator, once endangered by hunting and habitat loss, has made a remarkable recovery and now thrives in the wetlands of the southeastern United States.
] From early Modern English alligater, alligarta, aligarto, alegarto, alagarto, from Spanish el lagarto (“the lizard”), from Latin lacertus (“lizard”), modern spelling possibly influenced by the unrelated Latin alligator (“one who binds”).