lizard

[ liz-erd ]

/ ˈlɪz ərd /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for lizard on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

Lizard, Astronomy. 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.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of lizard

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English liserd, variant of lesard(e), from Middle French lesarde, from Latin lacerta

Words nearby lizard

lixiviate, lixivium, Li Yüan, Liz, liza, lizard, lizardfish, Lizard Head, lizard orchid, lizard's-tail, Lizbeth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lizard in a sentence

They are more likely to bite lizards called skinks, which are poor transmitters of the bacteria, researchers report January 28 in PLOS Biology.
The animals that ticks bite in the U.S. South can impact Lyme disease spread|Aimee Cunningham|February 5, 2021|Science News
At night, the lizards retreat upward, gripping blades of grass or other plants for safety.
A new chameleon species may be the world’s tiniest reptile|Jonathan Lambert|February 4, 2021|Science News
The animal was a mosasaur, an extinct, marine reptile related to snakes and monitor lizards.
This ancient sea reptile had a slicing bite like no other|Jake Buehler|February 2, 2021|Science News
In 1971, paleontologist Robert Bakker argued for a landbound dinosaur, based on the resemblance of its nostrils to those of terrestrial lizards.
50 years ago, scientists made the case for a landlubbing Brontosaurus|Bethany Brookshire|January 29, 2021|Science News

Until recently, it wasn’t clear where monitor lizards lay their eggs.
Monitor lizards’ huge burrow systems can shelter hundreds of small animals|Jake Buehler|January 19, 2021|Science News
Another set of hackers that goes by the name the Lizard Squad told the Washington Post that they helped with the Sony hack.
U.S. Spies Say They Tracked ‘Sony Hackers’ For Years|Shane Harris|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And some members of the Lizard Squad are now claiming that they were never trying to poison the network.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There is a lot of residual concern that Lizard Squad was able to get even this far.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the Lizard Squad was able to get one thing done: Piss off Anonymous, the best known of the hacktivist collectives.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It almost makes you wonder if Lizard Squad did this just to annoy Anonymous and the other earnest champions of privacy.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The woman reminds one of a red lizard—a salamander—her “svelte” body seemingly boneless in its gown of clinging scales.
The Real Latin Quarter|F. Berkeley Smith
Respecting this remarkable Lizard, Mr. Cunningham's journal contains the following remarks.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
I should have been in her fond embrace—now I shared the company of the rat, the lizard, and the scorpion.
Confessions of a Thug|Philip Meadows Taylor
They were defensive, anti-personal weapons to be employed as he had done against the lizard in the arena.
Star Born|Andre Norton
The man turned his head quickly; the lizard dodged under the rail; and old Kate awoke with a start.
The Shepherd of the Hills|Harold Bell Wright

British Dictionary definitions for lizard (1 of 2)

lizard

/ (ˈlɪzəd) /

noun

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 wormsRelated adjectives: lacertilian, saurian

leather made from the skin of such an animal
(as modifier)a lizard handbag

Word Origin for lizard

C14: via Old French from Latin lacerta

British Dictionary definitions for lizard (2 of 2)

Lizard

/ (ˈlɪzəd) /

noun

the Lizard a promontory in SW England, in SW Cornwall: the southernmost point in Great BritainAlso known as: Lizard Head, the Lizard Peninsula

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

lizard

Origin of lizard

Words nearby lizard

Words related to lizard

How to use lizard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lizard (1 of 2)

Word Origin for lizard

British Dictionary definitions for lizard (2 of 2)