reptilian
Americanadjective
-
belonging or pertaining to the Reptilia.
-
groveling, debased, or despicable; contemptible.
-
mean; treacherous; harmful.
noun
adjective
-
of, relating to, resembling, or characteristic of reptiles
-
mean or treacherous; contemptible
reptilian behaviour
noun
Etymology
Origin of reptilian
1840–50; < New Latin Reptili ( a ) reptiles (plural of rēptile, neuter of Late Latin rēptilis; see reptile) + -an
Explanation
Use the adjective reptilian to describe a reptile: your pet iguana, while also sweet and possibly cuddly, is definitely reptilian. Crocodiles, lizards, and turtles are all reptiles, and you can therefore describe all of them as reptilian. A reptilian animal is not a mammal or a bird, and it is most likely cold-blooded and egg laying. You can also use the word reptilian to describe something — or someone — that reminds you of a reptile. The Latin root is reptilis, which means "creeping or crawling."
Vocabulary lists containing reptilian
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Animal Adjectives
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Meditation—it’s not worth it…meditation activates the reptilian freeze mechanism, so it is counterproductive. What works for me is movement and curiosity.”
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
Byrne, now an Oscar nominee for the same role, found herself having to explain that parenthood almost always comes with scheduling conflicts and answer follow-up questions about the reptilian addition to her family.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
"I have been working on the evolution of reptilian heads and noses since my master's degree," he said.
From Science Daily • Feb. 22, 2026
The species of crocodylomorph roamed Earth about 215 million years ago during the Triassic period and is believed to have been a fast-moving, land-dwelling predator resembling a "reptilian greyhound".
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
There was something vulpine about the way the woman sat in her comer by the courtyard, something reptilian about her eyes.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
