SKIP TO CONTENT

iguana

/ɪˈgwɑnə/
/ɪˈgwɑnə/
IPA guide

Other forms: iguanas

An iguana is a big lizard with distinctive spines running down its back. If you keep an iguana as a pet, you'll want to feed it a lot of fresh vegetables.

Iguanas look a little intimidating, since they grow as large as six feet long to the tip of the tail and have a head that resembles a dinosaur. While pet iguanas can sometimes be somewhat aggressive, they can be tamed with enough handling. The word iguana is Spanish, and it comes from a West Indies language, Arawak, and its word for this particular kind of lizard, iwana.

Definitions of iguana
  1. noun
    large herbivorous tropical American arboreal lizards with a spiny crest along the back; used as human food in Central America and South America
    see moresee less
    type of:
    iguanid, iguanid lizard
    lizards of the New World and Madagascar and some Pacific islands; typically having a long tail and bright throat patch in males
Pronunciation
US
/ɪˈgwɑnə/
UK
/ɪˈgwɑnə/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘iguana'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family