Cayman (Noun)
Meaning
A semiaquatic reptile of Central and South America that resembles an alligator but has a more heavily armored belly.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The cayman inhabited the freshwater swamp, using its strong tail for movement through the dense vegetation.
- Conservationists monitored the local cayman population, focusing on its nesting habits.
- As a general term for Central and South American species of alligatorids, cayman referred to four main types of the reptiles.
- Unlike their crocodilian counterparts, the scaly bodies of the cayman allow it to dig more complex burrows for hiding and breeding.
- Some reports state the rare yacare cayman only makes up one tenth of its South American genus in Argentina's diverse freshwater systems.