reptile

1 of 2

noun

rep·​tile ˈrep-ˌtī(-ə)l 

-tᵊl

1

: an animal that crawls or moves on its belly (such as a snake) or on small short legs (such as a lizard)

2

: any of a class (Reptilia) of cold-blooded, air-breathing, usually egg-laying vertebrates that include the alligators and crocodiles, lizards, snakes, turtles, and extinct related forms (such as dinosaurs and pterosaurs) and that have a body typically covered with scales or bony plates and a bony skeleton with a single occipital condyle, a distinct quadrate bone usually immovably articulated with the skull, and ribs attached to the sternum

3

: a groveling or despised person

reptile

2 of 2

adjective

: characteristic of a reptile : reptilian

Synonyms

Noun

• bastard
• beast
• bleeder [British]
• blighter [chiefly British]
• boor
• bounder
• bugger
• buzzard
• cad
• chuff
• churl
• clown
• creep
• cretin
• crud [slang]
• crumb [slang]
• cur
• dirtbag [slang]
• dog
• fink
• heel
• hound
• jerk
• joker
• louse
• lout
• pill
• rat
• rat fink
• rotter
• schmuck [slang]
• scum
• scumbag [slang]
• scuzzball [slang]
• skunk
• sleaze
• sleazebag [slang]
• sleazeball [slang]
• slime
• slimeball [slang]
• slob
• snake
• so-and-so
• sod [chiefly British]
• stinkard
• stinker
• swine
• toad
• varmint
• vermin

Examples of reptile in a Sentence

Noun

He called the governor's top aide a reptile.

the actor plays a total reptile who's somehow still a hit with the ladies

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cicadas are a crucial food source for numerous predators, including birds, mammals, reptiles and other insects, thereby supporting biodiversity, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. —The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024

After sedating the 12-foot, 750-pound reptile, officers taped Albert's mouth and drove away with him in the back of a van. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024

Researchers unearthed a large cache at the site, including the remains of ancient reptiles, amphibians and synapsids, the precursors to mammals. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024

There are also different local reptiles on display like the California kingsnake. —Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024

In the news Tony Cavallaro, 64, of Hamburg, N.Y., had his pet alligator, Albert Edward, removed from his home, as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said in a Facebook post the 34-year-old reptile was housed there illegally. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2024

Video footage shared by the sheriff's office shows Van Pelt removing the snake from the engine and holding it up as the reptile wiggles its tail. —USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024

In the case of Charlotte, then, her pregnancy can most likely be explained by parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction akin to cloning that’s performed by some fish, reptiles and birds. —Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024

For starters, the scientists saw that the reptile's snake-like appearance was a result of the numerous vertebrae in its neck and torso. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024

Adjective

For him, a flashy reptile leather jacket was worn with a mesh top and jeans, but there was also a dark blue double-breasted suit for more formal business occasions. —Colleen Barry, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2022

Currently, it can be seen in the aquatic and reptile center. —Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2023

Some sampling studies suggest the reptile snacks reduce local snake populations by about 40 percent. —Bethany Brookshire, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022

There's a terrifying reptile version of a turducken, just in time for Thanksgiving. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2022

Future studies of the fossil species may one day reveal why once-diverse reptile groups declined so dramatically with time. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2022

That, in turn, will attract birds and small mammals, as well as reptile predators such as snakes and lizards. —Derek Hawkins, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English reptil, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French reptile (feminine), from Late Latin reptile (neuter), from neuter of reptilis creeping, from Latin reptus, past participle of repere to crawl; akin to Lithuanian rėplioti to crawl

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1607, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

reptile

1 of 2 noun

rep·​tile ˈrep-tᵊl 

-ˌtīl

: any of a group of cold-blooded air-breathing vertebrates (as snakes, lizards, turtles, and alligators) that usually lay eggs and have skin covered with scales or bony plates

reptile

2 of 2 adjective

: characteristic of a reptile : reptilian