Spanish Conversation · Level 21
90 words
Spanish word
caimán
Pronunciation
IPA/kaiˈman/
Meaning
- masculine nouncaiman
Example
¡Mira ese caimán!
Look at that caiman!
More examples
Ayer vimos un caimán en la orilla del río.
Yesterday we saw a caiman on the riverbank.
Core concept
Large aquatic reptile with eyes and nostrils above the snout that waits at river edges in the Americas.
Common phrases
ver un caimán
see a caiman
el caimán
the caiman
cuidado con el caimán
watch out for the caiman
Similar words
cocodrilo: Large predator of coasts and rivers with sharp jaws adapted to hunt in shallow water.
yacaré: Moderate-sized river and marsh reptile in South America commonly found at banks and shallows.
aligátor: Freshwater crocodilian of North and Central America notable for a broad, rounded snout.
Definition in Spanish
Reptil grande parecido a un cocodrilo que vive en ríos y pantanos de América.
Word origin
Spanish caimán derives from a Caribbean native word recorded by first European colonizers and applied to New World crocodilians.
Usage tips
- In scientific contexts caimans belong to the Alligatoridae family and are usually distinguished from true crocodiles, a distinction less strict in everyday speech.