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Webster 1913 Edition


Reptile

Rep′tile

(r?p′t?l;277)
,
Adj.
[F.
reptile
, L.
reptilis
, fr.
repere
,
reptum
, to creep; cf. Lith.
reploti
; perh. akin to L.
serpere
. Cf.
Serpent
.]
1.
Creeping; moving on the belly, or by means of small and short legs.
2.
Hence: Groveling; low; vulgar;
as, a
reptile
race or crew;
reptile
vices.
There is also a false,
reptile
prudence, the result not of caution, but of fear.
Burke.
And dislodge their
reptile
souls
From the bodies and forms of men.
Coleridge.

Rep′tile

,
Noun.
1.
(Zool.)
An animal that crawls, or moves on its belly, as snakes,, or by means of small, short legs, as lizards, and the like.
An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls at evening in the public path;
But he that has humanity, forewarned,
Will tread aside, and let the
reptile
live.
Cowper.
2.
(Zool.)
One of the Reptilia, or one of the Amphibia.
☞ The amphibians were formerly classed with Reptilia, and are still popularly called reptiles, though much more closely allied to the fishes.
3.
A groveling or very mean person.

Webster 1828 Edition


Reptile

REP'TILE

,
Adj.
[L. reptilis, from repo, to creep, Gr. See Creep.]
1.
Creeping; moving on the belly, or with many small feet.
2.
Groveling; low; vulgar; as a reptile race or crew; reptile vices.

REP'TILE

,
Noun.
1.
An animal that moves on its belly, or by means of small short legs, as earth-worms, caterpillars, snakes and the like.
In zoology, the reptiles constitute an order of the class Amphibian, including all such as are furnished with limbs or articulated extremities, as tortoises, lizards and frogs.
2.
A groveling or very mean person; a term of contempt.

Definition 2024


Reptile

Reptile

See also: reptile and réptile

German

Noun

Reptile

  1. dative singular of Reptil
  2. (rare) plural of Reptil

reptile

reptile

See also: Reptile and réptile

English

Noun

reptile (plural reptiles)

  1. A cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia.
  2. (figuratively) A mean or grovelling person.
    • Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers
      "That reptile," whispered Pott, catching Mr. Pickwick by the arm, and pointing towards the stranger. "That reptile — Slurk, of the Independent!"

Hyponyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:reptile

Related terms


Translations

See also

Adjective

reptile (not comparable)

  1. Creeping; moving on the belly, or by means of small and short legs.
  2. Grovelling; low; vulgar.
    a reptile race or crew; reptile vices
    • Burke
      There is also a false, reptile prudence, the result not of caution, but of fear.
    • Coleridge
      And dislodge their reptile souls / From the bodies and forms of men.

Anagrams


French

Noun

reptile f (plural reptiles)

  1. repile

Latin

Adjective

rēptile

  1. neuter nominative singular of rēptilis
  2. neuter accusative singular of rēptilis
  3. neuter vocative singular of rēptilis