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Glite Dictionary
earless lizard

earless lizard

9.5
A slender lizard without visible ear openings found in the western United States and Mexico
  • noun
  • /ˈɪr.ləs ˈlɪ.zərd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : lagarto sin orejas
  • The earless lizard is often found in sandy areas.

Examples

  • Researchers observed several earless lizards basking on rocks in the midday sun.

  • The earless lizard is well adapted to the sandy soils of the southwestern deserts.

  • Unlike other lizards, the earless lizard lacks external ear openings.

  • I saw an earless lizard in the desert yesterday.

  • The earless lizard can often be seen basking in the sun on the warm, dry plains of the southwestern United States.

  • Biologists are studying the earless lizard to learn more about its unique adaptations to desert life.

  • Unlike many other lizards, the earless lizard lacks external ear openings, which helps it blend into its sandy environment.

Synonyms

Holbrookia
vsearless lizard
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of small earless lizards from North and Central America

is a slender species found in western United States and Mexico plains

Surface Forms

earless lizard singular
earless lizards plural

Morphology

earless + lizard

The noun phrase is a straightforward composition of 'earless' (without visible external ears) + 'lizard' (a reptile), so its meaning—a lizard that lacks external ear openings—is directly and transparently derivable from the parts. This is a literal descriptive adjective+noun pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

Earless lizard comes from the animal's look: the words earless and lizard show it is a lizard that seems 'without visible ear openings' because it has no outside ear holes. That's why the name today means a lizard with no visible ear openings.