Illustration of crocodile
- crocodile 1a
crocodile
noun
croc·o·dile
ˈkrä-kə-ˌdī(-ə)l 
1
a
: any of several large, carnivorous, thick-skinned, long-bodied, aquatic reptiles (family Crocodylidae and especially genus Crocodylus) of tropical and subtropical waters that have a long, tapered, V-shaped snout
broadly
: crocodilian
b
: the skin or hide of a crocodile
2
chiefly British
: a line of people (such as schoolchildren) usually walking in pairs
Examples of crocodile in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Finally, a blue crocodile leather strap with a three-fold clasp completes the picture.
—
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
Both crocodiles will be kept in captivity, either at crocodile farms or zoos, the department said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Discovery of facultative parthenogenesis in a new world crocodile
Biology Letters.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
The recent identification of fossils from a heavily armored ancient crocodile ancestor species, known as aetosaurs, provides a glimpse into our world 215 million years ago.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024
Tyga’s look was a crocodile print moto-style jacket that also featured a hood made of a lightweight gray tie-dye style fabric.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
The hunt for wild crocodile eggs that feeds the designer handbag craze
The fuel emissions standards aren’t the only environmental policy facing a backlash.
—Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
The alligator attack in Lake County came on the same day as an apparent crocodile attack in southern Florida after a 68-year-old man capsized his sailboat during the incident in Flamingo Marina.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024
Glide through Florida’s canyons at Ocala State Park, experience a sunset tour over Tampa Bay, soar over alligators and crocodiles in Orlando, or challenge yourself at one of the 10 aerial courses in Dade County.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
Both crocodiles will be kept in captivity, either at crocodile farms or zoos, the department said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Discovery of facultative parthenogenesis in a new world crocodile
Biology Letters.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
The recent identification of fossils from a heavily armored ancient crocodile ancestor species, known as aetosaurs, provides a glimpse into our world 215 million years ago.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024
Tyga’s look was a crocodile print moto-style jacket that also featured a hood made of a lightweight gray tie-dye style fabric.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024
The hunt for wild crocodile eggs that feeds the designer handbag craze
The fuel emissions standards aren’t the only environmental policy facing a backlash.
—Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
The alligator attack in Lake County came on the same day as an apparent crocodile attack in southern Florida after a 68-year-old man capsized his sailboat during the incident in Flamingo Marina.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024
Glide through Florida’s canyons at Ocala State Park, experience a sunset tour over Tampa Bay, soar over alligators and crocodiles in Orlando, or challenge yourself at one of the 10 aerial courses in Dade County.
—Jp Shaffer, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crocodile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Crocodile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crocodile. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crocodile
noun
croc·o·dile
ˈkräk-ə-ˌdīl
1
: any of several large thick-skinned long-bodied reptiles of tropical and subtropical waters compare alligator
2
: the skin or hide of a crocodile
Etymology
from Middle English cocodrille "crocodile," from early French cocodrille (same meaning), from Latin cocodrillus and earlier crocodilus "crocodile," from Greek krokodeilos "crocodile, lizard"
Word Origin
The word crocodile is taken from Greek krokodeilos, which is probably modified from a compound of krokē, "pebble, stone," and an obscure word drilos, which may have meant "worm." According to the ancient Greek writer Herodotus, some Greeks gave this name to the lizards that lived among the stone walls of their farms. When these Greeks visited Egypt, the enormous reptiles of the Nile River reminded them of the lizards and they applied the same name to them. (The more usual ancient Greek word for "lizard" was sauros, which we see in the Latin scientific names of many dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, and in the word dinosaur itself.) The Romans took Greek krokodeilos into Latin as crocodilus. However, later speakers shifted the r from the first to the third syllable, giving cocodrilus or cocodrillus. It was this form that was taken into medieval French and later into Middle English as cocodrille. Later, as Englishmen became better acquainted with the classical Latin of ancient Rome, the English word was changed to better reflect Latin crocodilus, and cocodrille was eventually forgotten.
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