anguid lizard
- noun
- /ˈæŋɡwɪd ˈlɪzərd/
- Specialized
- The anguid lizard is often found in gardens where it feeds on pests like slugs.
Examples
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Many people mistake the anguid lizard for being dangerous, but they are completely harmless.
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The anguid lizard is often seen basking in the sun.
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Glass lizards are a type of anguid lizard with a snake-like appearance.
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Have you ever spotted an anguid lizard in your garden?
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Glass lizards are a type of anguid lizard with a snake-like appearance.
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Many people mistake the anguid lizard for being dangerous, but they are completely harmless.
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The anguid lizard is often found in gardens where it feeds on pests like slugs.
Surface Forms
Morphology
anguid + lizard
The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: if a learner knows 'anguid' as ‘relating to the family Anguidae’ and 'lizard', they can directly infer it means a lizard of that family. Although 'anguid' is specialist and rare in general vocabulary, the compositional pattern is regular and thus predictable for someone who already knows the constituent meanings.
Etymology
Anguid lizard gets its name from the family name Anguidae, from an old word for 'snake', because these lizards often have long, snake-like bodies or tiny/no legs. That's why anguid lizard today means a harmless lizard often found in gardens that eats insects and slugs.