iguana

noun

igua·​na i-ˈgwä-nə 

: any of various large chiefly herbivorous usually green or brownish tropical American lizards (family Iguanidae, the iguana family) that have a serrated dorsal crest and large dewlap

broadly : any of various large lizards

Illustration of iguana

Examples of iguana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Anyone with even a passing interest in Earth’s beauty might feel jealous of Lewis’s sojourn with plentiful tortoises, iguanas, sea lions, and birds, and possibly even more jealous of Darwin’s trip. — Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026

One piece uses an iguana carcass the artist scavenged while working as an art handler at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, placing the body in a coffinlike reliquary. — Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026

Seaside Nature Park is home to wandering peacocks, ducks, chickens, pigs, iguanas, guinea fowls, and horses. — Megan Margulies, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026

The sweet spot is curious grade-schoolers, tweens, and teens—the kind of kids who will come home knowing the difference between a marine iguana and a land iguana, and why that matters. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Arawak & Carib iwana

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing iguana

• marine iguana

Rhymes for iguana

• asana
• chicana
• liana
• madonna
• maulana
• nirvana
• purana
• sadhana
• ana
• bwana
• dhyana
• donna

Kids Definition

iguana

noun

igua·​na i-ˈgwän-ə 

: any of various large plant-eating tropical American lizards that have a ridge of tall scales along the middle of the back and loose skin hanging below the neck