caiman

American  

[key-muhn] / ˈkeɪ mən /

Also cayman

noun

plural

caimans

1. any of several tropical American crocodilians of the genus Caiman and allied genera: some are endangered.

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caiman British  

/ ˈkeɪmən /

noun

1. a variant spelling of cayman

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Etymology

Origin of caiman

First recorded in 1570–80; from Spanish caimán, from Carib

Example Sentences

Fish such as wolf fish, peacock bass, and South American lungfish were especially common, accompanied by reptiles including caimans and turtles, and mammals such as capybaras, pacas, and armadillos.

From Science Daily

Palaeontologists in Colombia matched teeth marks on the fossilised leg bone of one of these fearsome birds to a caiman, or a crocodile-like reptile.

From BBC

"This year, there were three dead manatees, five dead buffalo. We found more than 10 caimans. We found turtles, capybaras, birds, thousands of dead fish," she said last June.

From BBC

Ash said he and the team bathed in the river at night with electric eel, caiman, sting rays, giant river otters and piranha.

From BBC

Jaguars are known to hunt caimans in rivers in Brazil.

From New York Times