# caiman

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkeɪ.mən/ · frequency rank #73,940

## Definitions
1. Any of the relatively small crocodilians of the genus Caiman, within the family Alligatoridae.
2. A crocodilian of the subfamily Caimaninae, which includes the very large black caiman.
3. A semi-aquatic lizard, of the genus Dracaena, found in South America. To differentiate from caimans, they are referred to as caiman lizards.

## Etymology
From Spanish caimán or Portuguese caimão, from Kari'na acayouman.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/caiman