crocodilian

American  

[krok-uh-dil-ee-uhn] / ˌkrɒk əˈdɪl i ən /

noun

1. any reptile of the order Crocodylia, comprising the true crocodiles and the alligators, caimans, and gavials.

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adjective

1. of, like, or pertaining to a crocodile.

2. hypocritical; insincere.

crocodilian British  

/ ˌkrɒkəˈdɪlɪən /

noun

1. any large predatory reptile of the order Crocodilia, which includes the crocodiles, alligators, and caymans. They live in or near water and have a long broad snout, powerful jaws, a four-chambered heart, and socketed teeth

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Crocodilia

2. of, relating to, or resembling a crocodile

crocodilian Scientific  

/ krŏk′ə-dĭl′ē-ən /

1. Any of various semiaquatic reptiles of the order Crocodilia, including the alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gavials. Crocodilians are squat, massive, and lizardlike, with long, powerful jaws, long, heavy tails, short legs, and thick, plated skin. Like dinosaurs, crocodilians are archosaurs, and their closest modern relatives are the birds.

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Etymology

Origin of crocodilian

crocodile + -ian; crocodilian defs. 1, 2 were first recorded in 1835–40 and crocodilian def. 3 in 1625–35

Example Sentences

He recalls uncovering an unusual crocodilian jaw fragment in 1975 in the Texas Caves of southeastern Queensland.

From Science Daily

This new analysis of the marks revealed that they most closely match an extinct caiman species called Purussaurus neivensis, a crocodilian that would have been up to five metres long.

From BBC

In the oceans, molluscs and crocodilians radiated into diverse new forms.

From Salon

A study published last year in Science Advances looks at Archosaurs, the group that includes birds, crocodilians and their dinosaur ancestors, providing some evidence about this.

From Salon

From Herculano-Houzel's perspective, it is both inaccurate and unfair to lump in the T. rex with its distant crocodilian relatives, regardless of the qualification that they would have been "smart" crocodiles.

From Salon