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Glite Dictionary
alligatored

alligatored

9.9
Having a cracked, rough surface like the skin of an alligator
  • adjective
  • /ˈælɪˌɡeɪtərd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : agrietado
  • The old wooden door was covered in alligatored paint that peeled at the edges.

Examples

  • The old fence was covered in alligatored paint.

  • Restorers carefully stripped the alligatored varnish from the antique frame before refinishing.

  • After years of sun exposure, the deck's surface became rough and alligatored.

  • This alligatored surface needs to be repainted.

  • The artist was disappointed to find that the paint had an alligatored texture after it dried.

  • The old wooden table had an alligatored surface that made it look vintage and charming.

  • She decided to refinish the doors because their alligatored paint made the entire house appear neglected.

Synonyms

crocodilly-patterned
vsalligatored
9.8

Having a pattern like crocodile skin

is a fissured surface pattern resembling a different reptile skin type
crackly
vsalligatored
4.2

Having many small cracks on the surface, like old paint or dry mud

is formed into a patterned arrangement of scales rather than random fine lines
cracked
vsalligatored
2.0

Surface with small splits from dryness or damage

is a patterned surface resembling reptile hide rather than simple damage

How Cracked

to flake
12 2.6
alligatored
  • Specialized
9.9
cracked
2.0
intact
304 3.7

Surface Forms

alligatored positive

Morphology

alligatored = alligator (transparent) = alligator + ed

Clearly formed by adding the adjectival/past-participial suffix '-ed' to 'alligator' to mean 'having a surface like an alligator's hide'.

Etymology

Alligatored comes from the animal alligator, because old paint or varnish can crack in a pattern like an alligator's 'skin'. So, when paint is described as alligatored, it means the surface has that scaly, cracked look.