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

This open air cenote is perfect for families with kids of all ages and surrounded by lush vegetation, flowing green trees, natural beauty, and friendly Mexican iguanas. —Miriam Porter, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025

The voyage made by these inadvertently intrepid iguanas would represent the longest transoceanic migration of any nonhuman land vertebrate. —Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025

Perhaps, experts speculated, ancient iguanas were more widespread, and the ancestors of the Fiji iguanas died out, making the island species be the odd lizards out. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025

To determine when iguanas arrived in Fiji, researchers analyzed the genes of 14 living iguana species. —Julianna Bragg, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025

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