crocodile

noun croc·o·dile \ ˈkrä-kə-ˌdī(-ə)l \

Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

Definition of crocodile

1 a : any of several large carnivorous thick-skinned long-bodied aquatic reptiles (family Crocodylidae) of tropical and subtropical waters; broadly : crocodilian

b : the skin or hide of a crocodile

2 chiefly British : a line of people (such as schoolchildren) usually walking in pairs

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Recent Examples of crocodile from the Web

Large, spiral conch shells, probably once home to ancient sea snails and now notched by hand at the apex to form a trumpet, are incised with images of warriors, hunters and the dead — as well as zoomorphic creatures that may well be crocodiles.

— christopher knight, latimes.com, "Teotihuacan: An ancient Mexican city's remarkable art comes to life at LACMA," 18 Apr. 2018
How did that crocodile swim there from the Louisiana bayou?

— angela watercutter, WIRED, "Rampage: 14 Unanswered Questions About the Rock’s New Movie," 16 Apr. 2018
Its signature attraction, Kilimanjaro Safaris, still takes visitors in open-air vehicles through the sprawling Harambe Wildlife Reserve for daytime viewings of animals such as hyenas, lions, zebras, giraffes, and crocodiles.

— arthur levine, USA TODAY, "Disney's Animal Kingdom celebrates 20 years," 15 Apr. 2018
Hadid shows off the new Classic Freestyle Hi Crackle sneaker (which is a part of the Always Classic Spring/Summer 2018 campaign) featuring a fashion-forward patent leather finish with a crocodile crackle effect.

— colleen kratofil, PEOPLE.com, "Chloë Grace Moretz's Jimmy Choo Photoshoot, Gigi Hadid's New Reebok Ads, Plus More Style News," 5 Apr. 2018
Now that the rest of menswear is tilting in a florid direction—crocodile skins! vicuña coats!

— molly young, GQ, "The Excessive Vision of Donatella Versace," 20 Mar. 2018
Jake Goldering photographed a crocodile swimming in flood water near Ingham.

— andrew backhouse, Fox News, "Cow washed up on beach shocks locals, pictures go viral," 15 Mar. 2018
An eagle in Western Australia once swooped up a camera that was supposed to be recording fresh-water crocodiles, and filmed itself flying and pecking at the lens.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Two Antarctic Penguins Took an Adorable ‘Selfie’," 9 Mar. 2018
In another, a 16-year-old boy testified in April 1982 that von Anhalt paid him to steal a white leather jacket, six crocodile belts, a walking cane and two shaving brushes from a department store.

— gary baum, The Hollywood Reporter, "The 'Prince' of Hollywood: Zsa Zsa Gabor’s Widower Reveals His Hustler Past as He Auctions Her Belongings," 8 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crocodile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of crocodile

Origin and Etymology of crocodile

Middle English & Latin; Middle English cocodrille, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin cocodrillus, alteration of Latin crocodilus, from Greek krokodilos lizard, crocodile, from krokē shingle, pebble + drilos worm; akin to Sanskrit śarkara pebble

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1555

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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CROCODILE Defined for English Language Learners

crocodile

noun

Definition of crocodile for English Language Learners

: a large reptile that has a long body, thick skin, and a long, thin mouth with sharp teeth and that lives in the water in regions with hot weather
: the skin of the crocodile used for making shoes and others products
: a line of people and especially of schoolchildren who are walking in pairs

CROCODILE Defined for Kids

crocodile

noun croc·o·dile \ ˈkrä-kə-ˌdīl \

Definition of crocodile for Students

: a reptile that resembles the related alligator but that has a long narrow snout

History for crocodile

The word crocodile is taken from Greek krokodeilos, which is probably a compound of krokē, “pebble, stone,” and a rare word drilos, which may mean “worm.” According to the ancient Greek writer Herodotus, some Greeks gave this name to the lizards that lived among the stone walls of their farms. When these Greeks visited Egypt, the enormous reptiles of the Nile River reminded them of the lizards and they applied the same name to them.

Learn More about crocodile

See words that rhyme with crocodile Spanish Central: Translation of crocodile Nglish: Translation of crocodile for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of crocodile for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crocodile

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