al‧li‧ga‧tor /ˈæləɡeɪtə, ˈælɪɡeɪtə $ -ər/ noun
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Spanish; Origin: el lagarto 'the lizard', from Latin lacerta; ⇒ lizard]

1. [countable] a large animal with a long mouth and tail and sharp teeth that lives in the hot wet parts of the US and China

2. [uncountable] the skin of this animal used as leather:
alligator shoes

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲