gator
Americannoun
-
gators
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of gator
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; shortened form
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:
In a league where job security these days ranks somewhere between knife juggler and gator wrangler, the 44-year-old Spaniard is one of only three managers even hired before 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
"I can say with confidence that I won't meet another gator like Claude in my lifetime. I'll miss him terribly," Krol said.
From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2026
In “Happy Gilmore,” Sandler’s unlikely golf star confronts the feisty gator played by Morris after a golf ball lands in his toothy jaws.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2025
Wally’s popularity soared to new heights last year when the gator was denied entry to a Philadelphia Phillies game.
From Seattle Times ● May 1, 2024
Then he pointed at the pond and said, “They say there’s a gator in there.”
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
Florida has about 1.3 million alligators, and it is a crime to kill them, although the state euthanizes some 7,000 gators a year to reduce the risk of attacks on humans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
The tourists couldn’t believe they were out in the wild with the gators; they crouched down and posed for selfies next to them.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2025
There’s a noticeable pride Morot takes in touring me around his geek’s paradise: a two-level office crammed with shelves of scowling latex heads, furry creatures and a pair of giant gators overlooking it all.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2025
He has also shown gators kept in captivity in presentations to school groups and Boy Scout troops.
From Seattle Times ● May 1, 2024
As soon as Nicole reached shore they’d have to move quickly or they’d be back in the water with the gators.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
