Gila monster

noun

Gi·​la monster ˈhē-lə- 

: a large, stout, venomous lizard (Heloderma suspectum) that has rough, bumpy, black and orange, pinkish, or yellowish skin, a thick tail, and venom glands in the lower lip and that is found especially in arid regions of the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico

Illustration of Gila monster

Examples of Gila monster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To take one example, biologists studying the venom of a Gila monster found a hormone that is the basis of the new generation of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic. —Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2025

For example, studies of the venom of a giant lizard called a Gila monster led to the development of the blockbuster GLP-1 drugs, now used for weight loss and diabetes. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 5 Mar. 2025

Scientists found that the toxin from Gila monster lizards seemed to have particular physiological effects, helping lead eventually to one of the world’s most profitable and promising drugs. —Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

The Gila monster, which is native to the deserts of North America, can survive on just a few meals a year, thanks to a digestion-slowing hormone in its venom. —Emily Elconin, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025

And my favorite 'fun fact' – it's inspired by Gila monster venom. —New Atlas, 8 Dec. 2024

Colorado man died from pet Gila monster’s venomous bite, autopsy shows Monterey Bay Aquarium. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

This class of drugs was first developed in the 1990s when scientists identified a hormone-like molecule in the venom of a Gila monster, a lizard native to the American Southwest, that stimulated insulin secretion. —Bruce Gil, Quartz, 9 Oct. 2024

To survive the harsh, hot conditions of its desert environment, the Gila monster also undergoes periods of estivation during the peak of summer. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Gila River, Arizona

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Gila monster

noun

Gi·​la monster ˌhē-lə- 

: a large orange and black poisonous lizard of the southwestern U.S.

also : a related Mexican lizard

Etymology

from Gila, name of a river in Arizona

Medical Definition

Gila monster

noun

Gi·​la monster ˈhē-lə- 

: a large orange and black venomous lizard of the genus Heloderma (H. suspectum) of the southwestern United States