caiman

noun

cai·​man ˈkā-mən How to pronounce caiman (audio) kā-ˈman How to pronounce caiman (audio)
kī-
variants or less commonly cayman
: any of several Central and South American crocodilians (such as genera Caiman, Melanosuchus, and Paleosuchus) similar to alligators

Examples of caiman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Paleontologists suspect terror birds spent most of their time on land, whereas caimans mostly stuck to the water. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025 The researchers didn’t find any evidence of gnawing, which further supports the hypothesis that a caiman had chomped down on it. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025 Alligators, crocodiles and caiman are not included. Bella Waters, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025 Getting closer also means a higher chance to spot various bird species, monkeys, sloths, river otters, turtles and caimans. Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for caiman

Word History

Etymology

Spanish caimán, probably from Carib caymán

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of caiman was in 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Caiman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caiman. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

caiman

noun
cai·​man
variants also cayman
kā-ˈman,
kī-;
ˈkā-mən
: any of several Central and South American reptiles closely related to and resembling alligators

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