reptilian

English

Etymology

From reptile +‎ -ian, replacing earlier reptilious and adjectival reptile.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɹɛpˈtɪliən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɹɛpˈtɪljən/, /ɹɛpˈtɪliən/

Adjective

reptilian (comparative more reptilian, superlative most reptilian)

1. (zoology) Of or relating to the members of the class Reptilia (reptiles).
   • 2012, Chinle Miller, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition:

     The Mesozoic represents that time on Earth when life flourished, but when such life was primarily reptilian, before the Age of Mammals.

2. Reptilelike.
   • 1982 February 6, Marsha Maurer, “Works in Progress”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 28, page 6:

     It is filled with blazing fires and half-human, half-animal beasts, with spiked reptilian tails.

3. (figuratively) Unthinking, low, base, contemptible.
4. (figuratively) Cold-blooded, treacherous, unavoidably selfish and hostile.

Synonyms

• (of or relating to members of Reptilia): reptilious; reptitious (obsolete)
• (like a reptile): See reptilelike
• (contemptible): See Thesaurus:despicable
• (cold-blooded): See cold-blooded

Derived terms

• reptilian brain, reptilian brained

Translations

reptilelike — see reptilelike

Noun

reptilian (plural reptilians)

1. A reptilian animal: a reptile.
2. (figuratively) A reptilian person, especially (ethnic slur) a Jew.
3. (science fiction) A reptilian alien, especially (ufology, often capitalized) of a shapeshifting race alleged to secretly control the world.
   • 2001, Caroline Tiger, The UFO Hunter’s Handbook: A Field Guide to the Paranormal, →ISBN, pages 62–63:

     More evolved than the Grays or Reptilians, the Humanoids seem to feel some sort of kinship with humans and are likely to be kind.[…] Some researchers believe the Grays are merely preparing the way for a full-scale invasion of Reptilian aliens.

   • 2010, Chico Penteado, Talking to the Reptilians-A Report from Brazil, →ISBN, page 11:

     Such powerful human families would descend upon the reptilians themselves and they would be willing to do just anything to retain their power.

   • 2011, Collin Robert Bowling, A New Order of the Ages, →ISBN:

     The reptilians are the creation of the Carians.

   • 2015, Marty Crump, Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog, Adder's Fork and Lizard's Leg, →ISBN:

     Reptilians generally are envisioned as half snake, half human, and they are thought to have come from the Alpha Draconian star system.

See also

• lizardman

References

• “reptilian, adj. and n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Anagrams

• Tiplerian, patriline

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French reptilien.

Adjective

reptilian m or n (feminine singular reptiliană, masculine plural reptilieni, feminine and neuter plural reptiliene)

1. reptilian

Declension

Declension of reptilian

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	reptilian		reptiliană		reptilieni	reptiliene
	definite	reptilianul		reptiliana		reptilienii	reptilienele
genitive- dative	indefinite	reptilian		reptiliene		reptilieni	reptiliene
	definite	reptilianului		reptilienei		reptilienilor	reptilienelor