whiptail

[ hwip-teyl, wip- ]

noun
  1. any of numerous New World lizards of the family Teiidae, especially of the genus Cnemidophorus, characterized by great agility and alertness.

  2. any of various other whip-tailed animals, as the whipscorpion.

Origin of whiptail

1
First recorded in 1765–75; whip + tail1

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