caiman

noun

cai·​man ˈkā-mən How to pronounce caiman (audio) kā-ˈman How to pronounce caiman (audio)
kī-
variants or less commonly cayman
: any of several Central and South American crocodilians (such as genera Caiman, Melanosuchus, and Paleosuchus) similar to alligators

Examples of caiman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This Indigenous-run, four-bedroom lodge offers nighttime excursions to track black caimans, the largest alligator species. Becca Blond, AFAR Media, 5 Feb. 2025 Also, the caiman, which is an alligator-type creature, wants to eat it. Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025 With so many caimans in the water, the conditions are not safe for younger kids, who might slip through the handrails and barricades, which are very easy to overcome. Jamie Ditaranto, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2024 Capybaras, as prey animals, instinctively situate themselves in groups along lakes and riverbanks—the water, in which they can be submerged for up to five minutes, serves as a means of escape from land animals, and the land can provide refuge from the nefarious caiman. Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for caiman

Word History

Etymology

Spanish caimán, probably from Carib caymán

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of caiman was in 1577

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Cite this Entry

“Caiman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caiman. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

caiman

noun
cai·​man
variants also cayman
kā-ˈman,
kī-;
ˈkā-mən
: any of several Central and South American reptiles closely related to and resembling alligators

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