monitor lizard

noun

: any of various tropical carnivorous lizards (genus Varanus of the family Varanidae) of Australia, Asia, and Africa

Examples of monitor lizard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nile monitor lizards, a powerful invasive predator that can grow up to 7 feet long, are establishing breeding populations across multiple South Florida counties, and wildlife officials say the window to control them is closing fast. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026

Nile monitor lizards, powerful carnivores that can grow longer than six feet, are spreading through South Florida, earning a reputation from wildlife officials as one of the most dangerous invasive reptiles in the state. —Sergio Candido, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026

Can Florida stop the spread of Nile monitor lizards? —Sergio Candido, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026

The biologists believe that early monitor lizards, including the ancestors of Australian monitors known as goannas, originally lost their osteoderms because an active, pursuit-hunting lifestyle favored speed and agility over heavy body armor. —New Atlas, 13 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for monitor lizard

• blizzard
• gizzard
• izard
• wizard

Kids Definition

monitor lizard

noun

: any of various large flesh-eating lizards of very warm areas in Africa, Australia, and Asia