Lizard

Lizard

Noun · /ˈlɪz.əd/

Definition

A reptile of the order Squamata, typically having a long body, four legs, a tapering tail, and a scaly skin; loosely applied to any reptile resembling this form; also used in various compounds and figurative expressions.

Origin

From Old French lesard (modern French lézard), from Latin lacertus or lacerta — a lizard. The Latin word may share a root with lacertus meaning the muscular part of the arm — a comparison perhaps suggested by the lizard's form. The word entered English in the 14th century via French.