gharial

noun

gha·​ri·​al ˈger-ē-əl 

: a large long-snouted crocodilian (Gavialis gangeticus of the family Gavialidae) of India

Examples of gharial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Visitors can see the juvenile gharials hatched in previous years in their indoor habitat at the Fort Worth Zoo’s Museum of Living Art. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026

Today’s crocodiles, alligators and gharials represent just a small surviving branch of a once-vast lineage. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026

Today’s crocodiles, alligators and gharials are the last survivors of a much more varied lineage. — New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025

This lineage is about 230 million years old and includes modern crocodiles, alligators, and gharials and their numerous extinct relatives. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2025

From the Asian elephant to the gharial, there’s a staggering array of native wildlife that’s been calling India home for eons, with no shortage of iconic mammals, birds and reptiles to be found during a visit. — Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu ghaṛyāl, ghaṛiyāl, ultimately from Sanskrit ghaṇṭika crocodilian

First Known Use

circa 1809, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gharial

• actuarial
• adversarial
• secretarial
• urticarial
• aerial
• areal
• ariel
• burial
• antimalarial
• biserial
• filarial
• malarial