iguana

I1G2U1A1N1A1
UK/ɪ.ɡjuˈɑːnə/UK/ɪˈɡwɑːnə/US/ɪˈɡwɑnə/US/əˈɡwɑnə/

noun

A green iguana (Iguana iguana), a large tropical American lizard often kept as a pet.

Similar
common iguanaIguana iguana

Meanings

nouniguana (plural iguanas)

plural iguanas

  1. A green iguana (Iguana iguana), a large tropical American lizard often kept as a pet.

    The problem with keeping the green iguana as a pet is that they are often misfed. For example, some will feed them meat or meat-based foods […]

    2015, Rachel Smith, John Davidson, Lizards For Kids, page 18
  2. biologyAny member of the genus Iguana.
  3. colloquialIn America and the Pacific, any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae.

    Marine iguanas line the shores of the islands, and are usually seen sprawled over lava rocks near the sea.

    1991, Martha Holmes, Sea Trek, BBC Books, page 44
  4. colloquialIn Africa, any large member of the genus Varanus, especially the aquatic Nile monitor (see leguan).
  5. AustraliaformerlyAny member of the genus Varanus (see goanna).

    The last they had had, was an iguana one of the blacks had brought in; and though he felt disgusted at the idea of eating it, he made up into a kind of stew, and they both enjoyed it immensely.

    1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 161

Synonyms & antonyms

nounlarge herbivorous tropical American arboreal lizards with a spiny crest along the back; used as human food in Central America and South America

Similar
common iguanaIguana iguana
Broader
iguanidiguanid lizard

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Taíno*iwana
  2. Spanishiguana
  3. Englishiguana

Borrowed from Spanish iguana, from Taíno *iwana.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic إِغْوَانَا
  • إِغْوَانَا (ʔiḡwānā)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Bulgarian игуана, игуа́на
  • игуана (iguana)a green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • игуа́на (iguána)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Catalan iguana verda, iguana
  • iguana verdaa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Chinese Mandarin 鬣蜥
  • 鬣蜥 (lièxī)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Czech leguán
  • leguánany member of the genus Iguana
Dutch leguaan, leguaan
  • leguaana green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • leguaanany member of the genus Iguana
  • leguaanany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Esperanto igvano
  • igvanoany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Finnish iguaani, iguaani
  • iguaania green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguaaniany member of the genus Iguana
  • leguaaniany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
French iguane
  • iguaneany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
German grüner Leguan, Leguan
  • grüner Leguana green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • Leguanany member of the genus Iguana
  • Leguanany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Greek ιγκουάνα
  • ιγκουάνα (igkouána)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Hebrew איגואנה
  • איגואנהany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Hungarian iguána
  • iguánaa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
Indonesian iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Irish ioguána
  • ioguánaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Italian iguana, iguana
  • iguanaa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Japanese イグアナ
  • イグアナ (iguana)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Korean 이구아나
  • 이구아나 (iguana)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Malay iguana, iguana
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Polish legwan zielony, iguana
  • legwan zielonya green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • legwanany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
  • legwanany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Portuguese iguana, iguana
  • iguanaa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Romanian iguană, iguană
  • iguanăa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanăany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanăany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Russian игуа́на, игуа́на
  • игуа́на (iguána)a green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • игуа́на (iguána)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Spanish iguana, iguana
  • iguanaa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Swedish grön leguan, leguan
  • grön leguana green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • leguanany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Tagalog bayawak
  • bayawakany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Tamil பல்லி, உடும்பு
  • பல்லி (palli)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
  • உடும்பு (uṭumpu)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Thai อิกัวนา
  • อิกัวนา (ì-guua-nâa)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Turkish iguana, iguana
  • iguanaa green iguana (Iguana iguana)
  • iguanaany member of the genus Iguana
  • iguanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Ukrainian ігуа́на
  • ігуа́на (ihuána)any of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Vietnamese kỳ nhông, cự đà
  • kỳ nhôngany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
  • cự đàany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae
Welsh igwana
  • igwanaany of several members of the lizard family Iguanidae

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with iguana

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

iguana. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/iguana

MLA

“iguana.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/iguana. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “iguana,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/iguana.

Source: iguana on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.