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reptile definition

rep·tile (rep′tīl′, -təl)

noun

  1. any of a class (Reptilia) of coldblooded vertebrates having lungs, an entirely bony skeleton, a body covered with scales or horny plates, and a heart with two atria and, usually, a single ventricle, including the snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles, and dinosaurs
  2. a mean, sneaky, groveling person

Etymology: LL(Ec) < neut. of L reptilis, crawling < reptus, pp. of repere, to creep < IE base *rēp-, to creep, crawl > Lith réplioti, to creep, OHG rebo, tendril

adjective

of, like, or characteristic of a reptile; reptilian

Etymology: L reptilis

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

reptile Synonyms

reptile

n.

reptilian, serpent, snake, lizard, saurian, dinosaur, sauropod, crocodile, alligator, crocodilian, turtle, tortoise, one of the Reptilia, amphibian; see also lizard, snake, turtle.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

reptile Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • fly: There have been many accounts in the British Isles of dragons and/or flying reptiles.

Adjective modifier

  • mammal-like: Now on the whole, I think I was not too bad at teaching my students about mammal-like reptiles.

Modifies a noun

  • keeper: We welcome input from you, the reptile keeper.

Noun used with modifier

  • amphibian: Amphibians sand reptiles of the Shark Bay area, Western Australia.
reptile usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

reptile quotes

I often sigh still for the dark downward and vegetating kingdom of the fish and reptile.

-Lowell, RobertTraill Spence,Jr

reptile quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"reptile." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/reptile>

APA Style

reptile. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/reptile

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