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

See Examples For:

crocodilian

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 ● Jul. 22, 2025

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 ● May 4, 2024

A new study titled "Origins of slow growth on the crocodilian stem lineage" in Current Biology, is beginning to shed light on this question.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2023

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

We must suppose, therefore, that in Genesis i. it denotes large crocodilian and perhaps serpentiform reptiles.

From The Origin of the World According to Revelation and Science by Dawson, John William