any of numerous scaly reptiles of the suborder Sauria, order Squamata, typically having a moderately elongate body, a tapering tail, and two pairs of legs held outward from the body, comprising mostly terrestrial and burrowing species.
any of various reptiles resembling a lizard, as a dinosaur or crocodile.
leather made from the skin of the lizard, used for shoes, purses, etc.
Astronomy. Lizard, the constellation Lacerta.
Older Slang, lounge lizard.
Nautical. a pennant used as a leader for running rigging, having a thimble or bull's-eye.
The Lizard. Lizard Head.
any reptile of the suborder Lacertilia (or Sauria ), esp those of the family Lacertidae (Old World lizards), typically having an elongated body, four limbs, and a long tail: includes the geckos, iguanas, chameleons, monitors, and slow worms
leather made from the skin of such an animal
( as modifier )
a lizard handbag
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English liserd, variant of lesard(e), from Middle French lesarde, from Latin lacerta
A lizard is a type of reptile that has scales for skin, a long body, a pointy tail, and usually four legs. And they breathe fire. Okay, maybe not that last part, but that would be awesome. Lizards can be smaller than an inch long, or massive in size and weight — like the Komodo dragon, which can grow over ten feet in length. A type of lizard called a chameleon can change colors whenever it wants, and the Jesus lizard can walk on water. Most lizards live in deserts or jungles, however the word lizard comes from the Latin lacertus, which means “sea fish” — perhaps because they look like a monster that crawled out of the ocean.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The village churchyard has become a haven for local wildlife - in particular slow worms, a non-venomous species of legless lizard often mistaken for snakes.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Music is perhaps the purest of these art forms, tapping into our lizard brains to regulate our emotions that are seeking to make sense of this precious yet maddening existence.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
The evidence is clear: osteoderms evolved multiple times, independently, across different lizard lineages over hundreds of millions of years.
From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026
Santa Rosa Island is also home to a lizard species found on three of the Channel Islands, a spotted skunk endemic to two Channel Islands, a unique island fox subspecies and several uncommon birds.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
The Elders stretch their necks and squint to try to see the tiny lizard on my arm.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Meanwhile, several artists - including Massive Attack, Deerhoof and King Lizard and the Gizzard Wizard - have cut ties with Spotify in protest at the company's ties to the defence company Helsing.
From BBC ● Mar. 11, 2026
The 52-year-old grew up in small-town British Columbia and spent a decade playing center for hockey teams around the world, including Florida’s Jacksonville Lizard Kings and the Manitoba Moose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
Suzanne Rees, 80, was hiking with fellow passengers of the Coral Adventure ship to a lookout spot on Lizard Island, in the Great Barrier Reef, on October 25.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2025
The late, great Steve Albini was best known for producing Nirvana’s “In Utero,” but might be best embodied on his work with the Jesus Lizard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2024
They ride the Screaming Lizard and the Double Dare Drop and then they hang out at the wave pool.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
It wasn’t the greatest place, with lizards on the walls and ceiling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
They found Madagascar "hissing" cockroaches, a bulky insect named for its noisy defence mechanism, and dubia cockroaches, an invasive critter bred as a snack for pet lizards.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
People working with Perez would collect the reptiles including Mexican box turtles and Mexican beaded lizards, at from an airport in Ciudad Juárez, then move them by car over the border to El Paso.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
Armour may have helped lizards survive predators, cope with harsh environments, or move into new habitats.
From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026
“Same with monitor lizards and skin shedding,” Zeke said.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
Definitions 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.
