Definition of caiman
: any of several Central and South American crocodilians (genera Caiman, Melanosuchus, and Paleosuchus) similar to alligators
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Recent Examples of caiman from the Web
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Sir Francis Drake gave the Caymans their present name in 1586 when dangerous caiman crocodilians with an appetite for British sailors freely roamed these isles in large numbers.
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Also nestled in the back of the park are hundreds of other alligators of varying ages as well as other related species including caiman, African crocodiles, snapper turtles, African tortoises and more.
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Immediately afterwards, her partner, Max, points out a huge caiman.
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Alligators, along with crocodiles, caiman and other similar reptiles, are federally protected.
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The specimens mostly belonged to extinct crocodilians, which is the supergroup that encompasses both alligators and crocodiles, as well as caimans and gharials.
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Elsewhere in the world, there are several observations of crocodilians—a group that includes alligators, crocodiles, and caimans—duking it out with elasmobranchs.
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Just west of where the San Juan River pours into the body of Lake Nicaragua — Central America’s largest lake — is a wildlife refuge brimming with crocodiles, caimans and iguanas.
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According to Ms. Griswold, her father was also devoted to the family’s unusual pet: a caiman named Calvin.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caiman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of caiman
Spanish caimán, probably from Carib caymán
Learn More about caiman
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See words that rhyme with caiman Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about caiman
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