Etymology

lizard

liz·ard
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Today it means: Any reptile of the order Squamata that is not a snake or mosasaur—typically characterised by a rounded torso, a short neck with an elevated head, a long tail and four limbs, although some species are legless. Full definition →

Middle English lesarde ← Anglo-Norman lusard ← Old French lesard
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lizard · noun1

  1. Latin · derived fromlacertus
  2. Old French · derived fromlesard
  3. Anglo-Norman · derived fromlusard
  4. Middle English · inherited fromlesarde
  5. English todaylizard

From Middle English lesarde, lisarde, from Anglo-Norman lusard, from Old French lesard (compare French lézard), from Latin lacertus, which is of obscure origin. Displaced native Middle English aske, from Old English āþexe (> modern English ask, askard).

Lizard · proper noun, proper noun2

  1. Cornish · borrowed fromLysardh
  2. English todayLizard

Recorded as Lisart 1086 (Domesday Book); a corruption of Cornish Lysardh (literally “high court”), influenced by lizard.

Words from the same roots

Latinlacertus all →

alligatorlacertus

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.