gator

American  

[gey-ter] / ˈgeɪ tər /

Also gater,

noun

gators plural

1. Southern U.S. Informal. alligator.

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gator British  

/ ˈɡeɪtə /

noun

1. informal an alligator

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gator

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; shortened form

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gator gators

"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

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

“This zydeco band ... can play!” says the gator, adding an excitedly drawn-out “hallelujah” for emphasis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2024

The agency said in a statement that the gator was “released in a remote location,” but stressed that it doesn’t know if the reptile was Wally.

From Seattle Times ● May 1, 2024

But gator tails do move, Chase discovered, like armored whips.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

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

The “Alligator Alcatraz” storefront is cartoon gators slyly winking at us from under red baseball caps: It’s just a joke, and you’re in on it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2025

Jennifer Dean told 10 Tampa Bay: "It's crazy. My kids walk by there all the time. So it's really scary. I've seen four or five-feet gators but nothing that big."

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2023

“I scared of gators, Amari,” he said, pulling away.

From "Copper Sun" by Sharon M. Draper