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Glite Dictionary
Nile crocodile

Nile crocodile

1 3.9
A large aggressive crocodile that lives in African rivers and lakes
  • noun
  • /naɪl ˈkrɒkədaɪl/
  • South African
translation icon : cocodrilo del Nilo
  • In the wild, Nile crocodiles are formidable predators that can pose a threat to humans who venture too close to their territory.

Examples

  • For physical structure, hippo, elephant, and perhaps Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) are most important because of their size and abundance.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The Nile crocodile is known for being aggressive and can often be found in freshwater habitats throughout Africa.

  • Many tourists visit Africa to observe the Nile crocodile in its natural environment, often taking guided boat trips along rivers.

Synonyms

crocodile
vsNile crocodile
142 1.0

A large reptile with a long snout, strong jaws, and sharp teeth that lives in rivers and lakes

is a specific African freshwater and aggressive member of that group
Crocodylus niloticus
vsNile crocodile
  • South African
9.9

A large dangerous crocodile that lives in rivers and lakes in Africa

is the common descriptive name focusing on aggression and freshwater habitat
African crocodile
vsNile crocodile
  • South African
3.9

A large, dangerous crocodile that lives in African rivers and lakes

is narrower in scope referring to a specific freshwater species often aggressive

Surface Forms

Nile crocodile singular
Nile crocodiles plural

Morphology

Nile + crocodile

The meaning 'a crocodile native to the Nile region' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'Nile' (the river/region) with 'crocodile' (the reptile). This proper-noun + noun species/location naming pattern is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Nile crocodile is a name that comes from the fact that this big crocodile lives in the Nile and other African rivers. People often saw these powerful, dangerous animals on the riverbank, so the name came to mean 'the large, aggressive crocodile from Africa'.