crocodile
/ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.49 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any of the predatory amphibious reptiles of the family Crocodylidae; (loosely) a crocodilian, any species of the order Crocodilia, which also includes the alligators, caimans and gavials.
noun
A long line or procession of people (especially children) walking together.
noun
A fallacious dilemma, mythically supposed to have been first used by a crocodile.
noun
greedy or corrupt person (especially a politician or any public official)
Example Sentences
- "The Roman poet Horace states that the excrement of the crocodile has aphrodisiac virtues."
- "Industrial and rural expansion is shrinking and destroying the Nile crocodile's natural habitat. The Nile crocodiles, in particular, have been a source of highly durable leather for a variety of products which can be crafted and manufactured."
- "Two species of crocodile inhabit Australian waterways: (a) the saltwater Crocodile — Crocodylus porosus, and (b) the freshwater crocodile — Crocodylus johnstoni."
- "One contained some brightly-coloured tropical birds, one a python and the other a large and very lively crocodile. I told the customer that the boxes containing the crocodile and the python were not packed to my satisfaction, as there were not enough nails securing them."
- "Sometimes the kids from the slap-up boys' schools in Eastbourne used to be led round in crocodiles to hand out fags and peppermint creams to the 'wounded Tommies', as they called us."
- "We have seen syllogisms, crocodiles, enthymemas, sorites, &c. explained and tried upon a boy of nine or ten years old in playful conversation[…]"
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English cocodrill, cokadrill, cokedril, from Old French cocodril (modern French crocodile), from Medieval Latin cocodrillus, from Latin crocodilus, from Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos). The word was later refashioned after the Latin and Greek forms. Doublet of krokodil.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: cocodrill, cocodril, cocodrillus, crocodilus, κροκόδειλος
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkɹɑkədaɪl/
- British English: /ˈkɹɒkədaɪl/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Law.
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
after a while, crocodile
American crocodile
Australian freshwater crocodile
black crocodile
Chinese crocodile lizard
crocodile bird
crocodile clip
crocodile closest to the canoe