Zool. Forms: 6 lagarto, alagarto, aligarto, 7 alegarto, alligarta, allegater, aligator, 7–8 allegator, 7– alligator. [orig. ad. Sp. el or al lagarto the lizard, (pointing to a dial. L. lacarta for lacerta,) applied par excellence to the gigantic saurians of the New World. In Eng. the word soon became allagarto, alagarto, reduced to alegarto, alligarta, whence by pop. corruption alligarter, allegater, alligator, the final o taking r, as in ’tatur (potato), buffaler, feller, etc. As the spelling alligator had a literary and etymological appearance, it was established in the lang., and has since been adopted in Fr.
(‘Some of our older writers on … America affirm that it is merely a modification of the Indian word legateer or allegater.’ Penny Cycl., I. 349.)]
1. A genus of saurian reptiles of the crocodile family, also called Caymans, of which the various species are found in America; popularly the name is extended to all large American Saurians, some of which are true crocodiles.
1568. J. Hortop (Hakl. Soc.), III. 580. In this river we killed a monstrous Lagarto or Crocodile.
1577. Frampton, Joyfull Newes, II. (1596), 73 b. Caimanes, that are called Lagartos.
1591. A. Knivet, in Purchas, Pilgr., IV. 1228. Aligartos (which we call in English crocodiles).
1593. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea (1847), 178. In this river, and all the rivers of this coast, are great abundance of alagartoes.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, I. 96. The Crocodiles (now called Alegartos).
1614. B. Jonson, Barth. Fair, II. vi. (1631), 28. Who can tell, if … the Alligarta hath not piss’d thereon?
1623. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. i. 43 (1st Fol.). In his needie shop a tortoyrs hung, An Allegater stuft [1597 1st Qo. Aligarta].
1663. Cowley, Vis. Crowwell, in Verses, &c. (1669), 71. He must have his prey of the whole Indies both by Sea and Land, this great Aligator.
1692. Coles, Alegator, a Jamaica Crocodile.
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1729), I. 256. We found no Allegators here, tho’ there are several.
1699. Garth, Dispens., II. 19. And near, a scaly Alligator hung.
1738. Mortimer, in Phil. Trans., XL. 345. The Spaniards first gave them the Name of Allagarto … and from the Words Al Lagarto, our English Sailors have formed the Word Alligator. Ibid. (1756), XLIX. 640. A young allegator … here laid before you.
1824. W. Irving, T. Trav., II. 254. Like alligators sleeping in the mire.
1880. Haughton, Phys. Geogr., iii. 82. The alligator thrives in the neighbourhood of New Orleans.
1882. Daily News, 8 June, 5/4. The profession of alligator farming has been developed in California.
2. Mining. a. A rock-breaker operating by jaws. b. A ‘Squeezer’ or machine for reducing the puddle-ball to a compact mass. Raymond’s Gloss.
3. Comb. alligator apple, the fruit of a West Indian tree, Anona palustris; alligator pear, the fruit of a West Indian tree, Persea gratissima (also called Laurus persea), allied to the laurels; alligator tortoise, a large species of marsh tortoise (Chelydra serpentina, fam. Emydidæ), found in the waters of Carolina, also called the Snapping Turtle; alligator wood, the timber of a West Indian tree, Guarea Swartzii.
1725. Sloane, Jamaica, ii. 24. Alleygator or Musk-Wood … The Smell [of the trunk] is sweet like Musk, or that of an Alleygator, whence the name.
1764. Grainger, Sugar-Cane, I. note 9. The avocato, avocado, avigato, or, as the English corruptly call it, alligator-pear.
1837. Macfadyen, Fl. Jamaica, 173. The Alligator Wood.
1861. Tylor, Anahuac, ix. 227. There is a well-known West Indian fruit which we call an avocado or alligator-pear, and which the French call ‘avocat’ and the Spaniards ‘aguacate.’ All these names are corruptions of the Aztec name of the fruit, ‘ahuacatl.’
1866. M. T. Masters, in Treas. Bot., 70. The fruit is called the Alligator Apple, but is not eaten as it contains a narcotic principle.
