Nile crocodile

American  

Or Nilotic crocodile

noun

1. the common African crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus, sometimes growing to a length of 20 feet (6.1 meters): in some areas it is greatly reduced in number and now rare.

---

Etymology

Origin of Nile crocodile

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

ETHEL, La.—There is a Nile crocodile loose somewhere in central Louisiana.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

According to the court record, the Nile crocodile is listed as threatened and some species of saltwater crocodile are threatened or endangered.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 8, 2023

At $45 a square foot, finished elephant hide doesn’t come cheap, unless you compare it to Nile crocodile skins at $800 or more apiece.

From National Geographic • Dec. 20, 2017

Dr. Stein said he feared that amid the chaos of a powerful hurricane, amphibians and reptiles like the “extremely aggressive” Nile crocodile could break loose from breeding centers and private collections.

From New York Times • Sep. 8, 2017

The hippopotamus is found in the lakes and rivers, and all these sheets of water are infested with crocodiles, apparently belonging to but one species, the common Nile crocodile.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various