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.
Goode had a pet tortoise when he was 6 and slept with a tegu lizard in his bed as a teen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Laura Parker, a lawyer for the center, said it can be hard for people to understand why a tiny lizard, or rare mussel species, or the lesser prairie chicken are worth preserving.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Upton Heath is an internationally important area of heathland and home to all six of Britain's native reptiles, including the rare sand lizard and smooth snake.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
What we found concludes a centuries-long debate: skin bones have indeed independently evolved across multiple lizard lineages.
From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026
Zeke was taller than the pelican now, and though birds are incredibly powerful, Zeke was big for a small lizard.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
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' daughter, Katherine Rees, said last week that her family was "shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organised excursion without my mum".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 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 Lizard and El Sol,” staged at local parks as well as in the Playhouse courtyard, tells the charming tale of a lizard in search of the newly missing sun.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2025
Lizard houses, as previously noted, were as much like terrariums as they could be without compromising privacy; they were one of the few animals who kept spare sheets of glass everywhere.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
It was less successful for snakes, lizards, and crocodilians.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
In one case a baby Komodo dragon was hidden in plain sight, inside a crate of ordinary monitor lizards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
In hard-hit areas like Le Porge, experts say insects will have perished en masse and larger creatures from toads to lizards will not have been spared either.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
Adders, slow worms and common lizards will be the focus of protection efforts during a major peatland restoration project near Dumfries.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
A section of one wall was given over to cages filled with rabbits and doves, as well as an odd selection of toads, lizards and— Jeremy squinted to be sure— yes, bats!
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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.
