Alligator Swallowed the Spanish Word for The
A gator is an alligator, informally. The full word absorbed the Spanish article el, so alligator literally means the lizard.
Gator is the informal American shortening of *alligator*. The longer word is a swallowed Spanish phrase: settlers heard *el lagarto*, the lizard, and turned it into one English word, article and all. Cutting it back to *gator* accidentally removes the Spanish article again, leaving something close to the original noun. An alligator differs from a crocodile in its broad rounded snout and the way its lower teeth hide when the mouth closes.
- An alligator (informal). *A ten-foot gator.*
- Alligator — the full word. *An American alligator.*
- Crocodile — the narrow-snouted relative. *A saltwater crocodile.*
- Spanish — *el lagarto*, the lizard. *The source.*
- Later, alligator — the rhyming farewell. *See you later, alligator.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | gator | One gator. |
| Plural | gators | Two gators. |
| Full form | alligator | An alligator. |
| Spanish | lagarto | Lizard. |
| Related | crocodile | A crocodile. |
- A gator crossed the road at dusk.Informal.
- El lagarto means the lizard.Etymology.
- Alligators have broad rounded snouts.Identification.
Alligator or crocodile?
- Snout — broad and U-shaped in alligators, narrow and V-shaped in crocodiles
- Teeth — a crocodile's fourth lower tooth stays visible when the mouth shuts
- Habitat — alligators prefer fresh water; many crocodiles tolerate salt
- Range — alligators live only in the United States and China
- Colour — alligators tend darker, crocodiles more olive
A shortening of *alligator*, from Spanish *el lagarto*, the lizard, from Latin *lacertus*. The short form is American, from the 1840s.
Does alligator contain a Spanish word?
Yes. It absorbed el lagarto, the lizard, article included, when English speakers borrowed the phrase as one word.
How do you tell an alligator from a crocodile?
The snout shape is easiest: broad and rounded for alligators, narrow and pointed for crocodiles.