Etymologically
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lizard

Etymology and origin of the English word lizard

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈlɪzəd/ (UK); /ˈlɪzɚd/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English lusarde, borrowed from Anglo-Norman lusard,[2][3][4] from Old French lesard,[5][2][3][6] from Latin lacertus, lacerta “lizard”,[5][2][3][4][6] a word of unknown origin.[3] The ending in French and English was probably influenced by words in -ard.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Any reptile, such as a crocodile or serpent (about 1378), and the lizard itself (1377–82).[2][7][3]

Semantic evolution

The Latin lacertus also meant the muscular upper arm, perhaps on the same pattern as Latin mūsculus “little mouse”, the source of muscle.[3] The word was applied with qualifiers to many species (from 1688) and to lizard skin (1895).[7] Of people it has been used of a slothful person (lazy lizard, 1600) and, in the 20th century, of a lounge lizard.[7][6] A constellation, Lacerta, is also called the Lizard.[6]

Timeline

  • 1377 – the reptile.[7][2]
  • 1600 – lazy lizard, a slothful person.[7]
  • 1688 – named species and heraldic figures.[7]
  • 1895 – lizard skin.[7]
  • 1935 – a lounge lizard.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Any of numerous reptiles of the suborder Lacertilia, typically with a scaly elongated body, four legs, movable eyelids and a tapering tail.
  2. Leather made from the skin of such a reptile.
  3. (informal) A lounge lizard; an unctuous or idle person.
  • alligator
  • lacertilian
  • muscle
  • gecko

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Lizard.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/lizard. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·