crocodile

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noun croc·o·dile \ ˈkrä-kə-ˌdī(-ə)l \

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

This 2.5-hour treasure of talent has animated cacti, crocodile musicians, dancing beetles and armadillos and a range of acrobats and areal artists who entertain and engage pushing their performances with exciting dare-devil extremes.

— philip potempa, Post-Tribune, "Latest Cirque du Soleil show 'Luzia' both dreamy and dazzling," 25 July 2017
And there's a crocodile/alligator version, too! Shark Bag.

— mary mooney, OregonLive.com, "Prep for Shark Week with shark-themed knitting and crochet patterns," 14 July 2017
These ferocious killers can grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh more than a ton, and are known to kill hundreds each year, with crocodiles as a whole responsible for more human fatalities annually than sharks.

— daniel jameson, CNT, "The 10 Most Dangerous Animals in the World," 10 July 2017
A giant crocodile with teeth like a T-Rex was a top predator during the Jurassic period, researchers found in a recent study.

— mahita gajanan, Time, "Scientists Discovered a Giant Crocodile With T-Rex Teeth That's Straight Out of Your Nightmares," 5 July 2017
This was enough to identify the animal as part of a clade that includes modern-day crocodiles.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "This giant crocodile was an apex predator 166 million years ago," 4 July 2017
Now scientists have finally identified the species, Razanandrongobe sakalavae (nicknamed Razana), as an enormous crocodile ancestor.

— annalee newitz, Ars Technica, "This giant crocodile was an apex predator 166 million years ago," 4 July 2017
If Nile crocodiles disappeared from Lake Nasser, the environment would suffer.

— National Geographic, "Crocodile Poaching Booms as Egypt Tourism Crumbles," 23 June 2017
In 2017, PETA was back at it, with underwear-clad activists wearing crocodile masks and signs shaped like Hermès Birkin bags protesting outside LFW this past February.

— jihan forbes, Allure, "Michael Kors Had a Run-in With Anti-Fur Protesters," 22 June 2017

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

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First Known Use: 1555

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CROCODILE Defined for English Language Learners

crocodile

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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

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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.

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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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crocodile

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crocodile

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