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definitions

gater

or 'ga·ter

[gey-ter]
noun
  1. gator.

gator

or ga·ter, ’ga·ter

[gey-ter]
noun
  1. Southern U.S. Informal. alligator.

Origin of gator

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; shortened form
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for gater

Historical Examples of gater

  • E pit one year wey Dog is bin-a bark; 'e pit one eye 'pon B'er 'Gater. '

    Nights With Uncle Remus

    Joel Chandler Harris

  • Bum-bye, B'er 'Gater bre't', 'e do come loud; 'e is bin sno' hard! '

    Nights With Uncle Remus

    Joel Chandler Harris

  • Bumbye, B'er 'Gater is wek fum 'e dream; 'e smell-a da' smoke, 'e feel-a da' fier. '

    Nights With Uncle Remus

    Joel Chandler Harris

  • You bin-a cry fer dey 'quaintun', B'er 'Gater; now you mus' beer wit' dem trouble!'

    Nights With Uncle Remus

    Joel Chandler Harris

  • E say 'e mus' git one el'phan' tush, un 'e mus' git one 'gater toof, un 'e mus' git one rice-bud bill.

    Nights With Uncle Remus

    Joel Chandler Harris

British Dictionary definitions for gater

gater

noun
  1. a variant of gator

gator

gater

noun
  1. mainly US informal an alligator

Word Origin for gator

C19
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
Word Origin and History for gater

gator

n.

1844, colloquial shortening of alligator.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper