alligator

noun

al·​li·​ga·​tor ˈa-lə-ˌgā-tər 

1

: either of two large carnivorous, thick-skinned, long-bodied, aquatic, crocodilian reptiles (Alligator mississippiensis of the southeastern U.S. and A. sinensis of China) that have a broad head with a slightly tapered, long, rounded, U-shaped snout and a special pocket in the upper jaw for reception of the enlarged lower fourth tooth

broadly : crocodilian

2

: leather made from alligator hide

Illustration of alligator

• alligator 1

Examples of alligator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The area where Flight 592 crashed Saturday is thick with razor-tooth sawgrass and a variety of wildlife, including alligators. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026

Southport is about a 160-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh and alligator are native to the area. —Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2026

The menu features crowd-pleasing staples like shrimp and grits, hush puppies, and pimento cheese, while more adventurous eaters can try fried alligator. —Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026

Another video of him appearing to shoot a gun at a dead alligator in Florida also surfaced around the same time, per The Guardian. —Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish el lagarto the lizard, from el the (from Latin ille that) + lagarto lizard, from Vulgar Latin *lacartus, from Latin lacertus, lacerta — more at lizard

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing alligator

• alligator clip
• alligator pear
• alligator snapper
• alligator snapping turtle

Rhymes for alligator

• activator
• actuator
• agitator
• allocator
• alternator
• animator
• annotator
• applicator
• arbitrator
• aspirator
• aviator
• calculator

Kids Definition

alligator

noun

al·​li·​ga·​tor ˈal-ə-ˌgāt-ər 

1

: either of two large short-legged reptiles resembling crocodiles but having a shorter and broader snout

2

: leather made from alligator's hide

Etymology

from Spanish el lagarto "the lizard"