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.
I discussed lizard people and societal collapse with true believers.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
Chris Manak walked into his Highland Park bar Gold Line cradling a formidable lizard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Terms such as "logical brain" and "lizard brain" actually refer to groups of brain regions with very different functions.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 31, 2026
In 2024, the Biden administration added the dunes sagebrush lizard to the endangered species list after years of advocacy from environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
When I craned my neck to take in the pillars of rock, I spotted a lizard crawling through the crags—the first living creature I had seen since we had escaped the dervish.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
It said choughs died out in Cornwall in the 1970s but returned in 2001 when three birds believed to be from Ireland landed at Lizard Point and began the rebreeding of the population.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
This docuseries has been in the works for nearly 20 years, since Goode read Brian Christy’s “The Lizard King” in 2008 and tried to option it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
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
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
Fossil sites containing dinosaurs also frequently preserve animals that were much smaller, including mammals, lizards, amphibians, and other vertebrates.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
The site is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is recognised for its internationally important raised bog habitat, which supports a range of wildlife including adders and common lizards.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
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
From the outside, it presented a stone facade carved in a pattern of lizards and pomegranates.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
