# iguana

/aɪˈɡwɑnə/ (US) · /ˌɪɡjuːˈɑːnɐ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/iguana
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

a large, long-tailed lizard that lives in warm places like the Caribbean and Central America. Many people keep them as pets because they are usually quiet and calm.

For teachers: any of various large, long-tailed lizards of the family Iguanidae, native to tropical regions of the Americas. Often kept as exotic pets due to their relatively docile nature and manageable size.

## Examples

- The iguana spends most of its day basking in the sun.
- After moving to the tropics, he decided to keep a green iguana in a large outdoor enclosure.
- While many species of iguana are arboreal and spend their lives in the canopy, the marine iguana of the Galápagos Islands has evolved to forage for algae in the ocean.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.