Where does “alligator” come from?
alligator (West Frisian) comes from Dutch alligator, 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.
alligator (West Frisian): alligator
Definitions
- alligator
Ancestry of “alligator”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | alligator | alligator, crocodilian of the genus "Alligator" |
| 2 | English | alligator | Either of two species of large amphibious... |
| 3 | English | alligater | — |
| 4 | Spanish | lagarto | lizard; beer |
| 5 | Old Spanish | lagarto | lizard |
| 6 | Vulgar Latin | *lacartum | — |
| 7 | Latin | lacertus | Alternative form of lacerta: a lizard; The... |
| 8 | Latin | lacerta | lizard; ablative singular of lacerta |