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Glite Dictionary
African chameleon

African chameleon

6.5
A lizard from Africa that can change color and move its eyes separately
  • noun
  • /ˈæfrɪkən kəˈmeɪliən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : camaleón africano
  • The African chameleon can rapidly change its color to blend into its environment.

Examples

  • Did you know that the African chameleon has independently moving eyes?

  • Many people keep the African chameleon as an exotic pet because of its fascinating appearance.

  • In the forests of Madagascar, the African chameleon hunts insects using its long, sticky tongue.

  • The African chameleon can change its color to blend into the environment.

  • In the forests of Madagascar, the African chameleon hunts insects using its long, sticky tongue.

  • Many people keep the African chameleon as an exotic pet because of its fascinating appearance.

  • The African chameleon can rapidly change its color to blend into its environment.

Synonyms

Chamaeleo chamaeleon
vsAfrican chameleon
  • Specialized
9.9

A small lizard that changes color and lives in parts of southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East

is found only in Africa rather than spreading into Europe or the Middle East

Surface Forms

African chameleon singular
African chameleons plural

Morphology

African + chameleon

The noun phrase is fully compositional: 'African' specifies origin and 'chameleon' names the color-changing lizard, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a chameleon species from Africa. This follows a common cross-linguistic pattern of adjective + noun denoting type/origin, making the meaning immediately accessible to B1 learners.

Etymology

African chameleon comes from an old Greek word that meant 'ground lion'. That strong image helps explain the name for this African lizard that can 'change color' and move its eyes separately.