gharial
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈɡɛəriəl/
- Indian
:
gavial
- Thanks to its unique adaptations, the gharial primarily feeds on fish and can often be seen basking on riverbanks.
Examples
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Other species within the order Crocodilia, such as crocodiles and gharials, were not examined.
Academic text (2007) -
The INS Gharial was also dispatched with HADR (Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief) stores that include food, clothing, medicines, and drinking water.
Academic text (2018) -
The gharial is easily recognized by its long, narrow snout that helps it catch fish in the rivers of India.
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Conservation efforts are underway to protect the gharial, a crocodilian species critically endangered in its native habitat.
Synonyms
1
6.5
A large meat-eating reptile like a crocodile or alligator with a long snout and a strong tail
1
9.9
A large crocodile with a very long thin snout that eats fish
A large crocodile that eats fish and has a long thin snout found in India
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word gharial comes from the Hindi word ghara, which means 'pot'. Male gharials have a round 'pot' on their long, narrow snout, so picturing a 'pot' on the crocodile's nose helps explain the name of this fish-eating crocodile.