varan
- noun
- /ˈværən/
- UK
- In the tropical rainforest, the varan is known for its agility and hunting skills.
Examples
-
During our hike, we spotted a varan climbing a tree, its powerful legs helping it navigate the branches.
-
These results were inconsistent with Archer's (1985) and Varan's (1990) findings that reported no gender difference in any of the identity statuses.
Academic text (2005) -
The large varan basked in the sun near the river, watching for any prey that came too close.
Synonyms
1
6.1
A large lizard from hot regions like Africa, Asia and Australia that eats meat
1
9.1
A large tropical lizard that eats meat and has a long tail
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word varan comes from the Arabic word waran, which named the large lizard and gave the scientific name Varanus. A helpful way to remember varan is to think of the English word warn, because people in some places believed the lizard would 'warn' them about crocodiles.