gator

American

[gey-ter] / ˈgeɪ tər /

Also gater,

noun

Southern U.S. Informal. alligator.

gator British

/ ˈɡeɪtə /

noun

informal an alligator

"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

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.

The AI tool shares its name, Claude, with a 30-year-old albino gator that’s become a local celebrity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 16, 2025

‘Happy Gilmore’ star Adam Sandler shares a playful tribute honoring his reptilian co-star, Morris the alligator, who died Sunday of old age at a gator farm in southern Colorado.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 25, 2025

One woman on Hilton Head told the Island Packet newspaper that she looked out her window to find she had a pool crasher - a small gator enjoying the shallow end.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2024

The gator, estimated to be 6 feet long, was corralled by responding Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission personnel.

From Washington Times • Nov. 1, 2023

Chase didn’t want to see him get eaten by a gator either, but the result would probably be the same whether they moved him or not.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

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