Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gator” come from?

gator (English) comes from English alligator, from English alligater, from Spanish lagarto, from Old Spanish lagarto, from Vulgar Latin *lacartum, from Latin lacertus, from Latin lacerta — lizard; ablative singular of lacerta.

gator (English): Alligator

Definitions

  1. Alligator

Ancestry of “gator”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishalligatorEither of two species of large amphibious...
2Englishalligater—
3Spanishlagartolizard; beer
4Old Spanishlagarto—
5Vulgar Latin*lacartum—
6LatinlacertusAlternative form of lacerta: a lizard; The...
7Latinlacertalizard; ablative singular of lacerta

Words derived from “gator”

  • Gatorade
Every word from Latin lacerta →