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crocodilian

American

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

noun

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

adjective

of, like, or pertaining to a crocodile.
hypocritical; insincere.

crocodilian British

/ ˌkrɒkəˈdɪlɪən /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Crocodilia
of, relating to, or resembling a crocodile

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

crocodilian Scientific

/ krŏk′ə-dĭl′ē-ən /

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.

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

crocodilian

It's known as a marine crocodile, but it's more accurately a thalattosuchian rather than a true crocodilian.

From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2026

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

From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2025

They found that the alligator, a crocodilian, was unable to really grasp advanced visual perspective taking.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2024

Many community forests are adjacent to national parks, and their revival has allowed endangered plant and animal species, including the tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros and the gharial, a crocodilian reptile, to thrive.

From New York Times ● Nov. 11, 2022

O what a crocodilian world is this, Compos’d of treachries and ensnaring wiles!

From Folk-lore of Shakespeare by Thomas Firminger Thiselton-Dyer

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023