alligator English · revision 2163

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈæl.ɪ.ɡeɪ.tɚ/; /ˈæl.ɪ.ɡeɪ.tə/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an alteration of [[es|el lagarto|t=the lizard]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from ''el'' “the” (Latin ''ille'' “that”)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) and ''lagarto'' “lizard”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) from Vulgar Latin ''*lacartus'',^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la|lacertus|t=lizard]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The Spanish phrase in full was ''el lagarto de Indias'', “the lizard of the Indies”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A large reptile of the Americas related to the crocodile, recorded in 1568 as ''lagarto''.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Early English forms were ''lagarto'' and ''aligarto'';^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) the form ''allegater'' appears in Shakespeare in 1623.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995) The final ''-r'' is unetymological, as in ''tater'' and ''feller'',^(Etymonline) and the American Heritage Dictionary suggests the reshaping is a kind of taboo deformation, common in names of feared creatures.^(AHD) The word was later applied to tools and machines with strong jaws, such as alligator clips.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) In the swing era (1936) an alligator was a jazz fan who did not play,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) and ''see you later, alligator'' is from a 1956 song title.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1568 – ''lagarto'', the reptile.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(AHD)

+ * 1591 – ''aligarto''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1623 – ''allegater'', the modern form.^(Barnhart 1995)^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1869 – of shoes and bags, made of alligator skin.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1936 – a swing-music fan.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1956 – ''see you later, alligator''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Either of two large crocodilians with broad snouts, one of the southeastern United States and one of China.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Leather made from alligator hide.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A tool or fastener with strong, often toothed jaws.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(jazz)'' A keen fan of swing music.^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of paint or varnish, to crack in a pattern like alligator hide.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[alligatoring]]

+ * [[gator]]

+ * [[alligator clip]]

+ * [[alligator weed]]

+ * [[alligator pear]]

+ * [[alligator shear]]

+ * [[alligator wrench]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lizard]]

+ * [[crocodile]]

+ * [[cayman]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}