Also see definition of "reptile" in Bible Study Dictionaries
Word Study
reptile
CIDE DICTIONARY
reptile, a. [F. reptile, L. reptilis, fr. repere, reptum, to creep; cf. Lith. reploti; perh. akin to L. serpere. Cf. Serpent.].
- Creeping; moving on the belly, or by means of small and short legs. [1913 Webster]
- Hence: Groveling; low; vulgar; as, a reptile race or crew; reptile vices. [1913 Webster]"There is also a false, reptile prudence, the result not of caution, but of fear." [1913 Webster]"And dislodge their reptile souls
From the bodies and forms of men." [1913 Webster]
reptile, n.
- An animal that crawls, or moves on its belly, as snakes,, or by means of small, short legs, as lizards, and the like. [1913 Webster]"An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls at evening in the public path;
But he that has humanity, forewarned,
Will tread aside, and let the reptile live." [1913 Webster] - One of the Reptilia, or one of the Amphibia. [1913 Webster]" The amphibians were formerly classed with Reptilia, and are still popularly called reptiles, though much more closely allied to the fishes." [1913 Webster]
- A groveling or very mean person. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
reptile, n. & adj.
--n.
1 any cold-blooded scaly animal of the class Reptilia, including snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, tortoises, etc.
2 a mean, grovelling, or repulsive person.
--adj.
1 (of an animal) creeping.
2 mean, grovelling.
--n.
1 any cold-blooded scaly animal of the class Reptilia, including snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, tortoises, etc.
2 a mean, grovelling, or repulsive person.
--adj.
1 (of an animal) creeping.
2 mean, grovelling.
Derivative
reptilian adj. & n.
Etymology
ME f. LL reptilis f. L repere rept- crawl
THESAURUS
reptile
Gila monster, Reptilia, agama, alligator, amphibian, anguine, animal, anole, aquatic, atiptoe, batrachian, bearded lizard, beast, biped, blindworm, box turtle, butterfly agama, canine, cannibal, carnivore, cayman, chameleon, clawback, colubriform, cosmopolite, crawling, creature, creeping, crocodile, crocodilian, cur, diamondback, dinosaur, dog, dragon, false map turtle, feline, flying dragon, froggy, gator, gavial, gecko, girdle-tailed lizard, glass snake, gnawer, green turtle, groveler, hawksbill, hawksbill turtle, herbivore, hound, hyena, iguana, insect, insectivore, invertebrate, leatherback, lickspittle, lizard, lizardlike, mammal, mammalian, marsupial, marsupialian, matamata, minion, mongrel, monitor, mugger, omnivore, on all fours, on tippytoe, on tiptoe, ophidian, pig, polecat, primate, quadruped, repent, reptant, reptatorial, reptilelike, reptilian, reptiliform, reptiloid, rodent, ruminant, saurian, scavenger, sea turtle, serpent, serpentiform, serpentile, serpentine, serpentlike, serpentoid, skunk, slithering, snake, snakelike, snaky, soft-shelled turtle, stump tail, swine, teju, terrapin, tippytoe, tiptoe, tiptoeing, toad, toadeater, toadish, toady, tortoise, tuatara, turtle, ungulate, varmint, vermin, vertebrate, viper, viperiform, viperish, viperlike, viperoid, viperous, vipery, whelp, wormROGET THESAURUS
reptile
Servility
N servility, slavery, obsequiousness, subserviency, abasement, prostration, prosternation, genuflection, fawning, tuft- hunting, timeserving, flunkeyism, sycophancy, humility, sycophant, parasite, toad, toady, toad-eater, tufthunter, snob, flunky, flunkey, yes-man, lapdog, spaniel, lickspittle, smell-feast, Graeculus esuriens, hanger on, cavaliere servente, led captain, carpet knight, timeserver, fortune hunter, Vicar of Bray, Sir- Pertinax, Max Sycophant, pickthank, flatterer, doer of dirty work, ame damnee, tool, reptile, slave, courtier, beat, dead beat, doughface, heeler, homme de cour, sponger, sucker, tagtail, truckler, servile, obsequious, supple, supple as a glove, soapy, oily, pliant, cringing, abased, dough-faced, fawning, slavish, groveling, sniveling, mealy-mouthed, beggarly, sycophantic, parasitical, abject, prostrate, down on ones marrowbones, base, mean, sneaking, crouching, hat in hand, cap in hand.Knave
N knave, rogue, Scapin, rascal, Lazarillo de Tormes, bad man, blackguard, barrater, barrator, shyster, traitor, betrayer, archtraitor, conspirator, Judas, Catiline, reptile, serpent, snake in the grass, wolf in sheep's clothing, sneak, Jerry Sneak, squealer, tell-tale, mischief-maker, trimmer, fence-sitter, renegade, truant, recreant, sycophant.Bad Man
N bad man, wrongdoer, worker of iniquity, evildoer, sinner, the wicked, bad example, villain, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, budmash, caitiff, wretch, reptile, viper, serpent, cockatrice, basilisk, urchin, tiger, monster, devil, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Nana Sahib, hellhound, hellcat, rakehell, bad woman, jade, Jezebel, scamp, scapegrace, rip, runagate, ne'er-do-well, reprobate, scalawag, scallawag, rou_e, rake, Sadist, skeesicks, skeezix, limb, one who has sold himself to the devil, fallen angel, ame damnee, vaurien, mauvais sujet, loose fish, sad dog, rounder, lost sheep, black sheep, castaway, recreant, defaulter, prodigal, rough, rowdy, hooligan, tough, ugly customer, mean mother, ruffian, bully, meanie, Jonathan Wild, hangman, incendiary, arsonist, fire bug, thief, murderer, terrorist, culprit, delinquent, crook, hoodlum, hood, criminal, thug, malefactor, offender, perpetrator, perp, disorderly person, misdemeanant, outlaw, scofflaw, vandal, felon, (convicted criminal), criminal, convict, prisoner, inmate, jail bird, ticket of leave man, multiple offender, blackguard, polisson, loafer, sneak, rapscallion, rascallion, cullion, mean wretch, varlet, kern, ame-de-boue, drole, cur, dog, hound, whelp, mongrel, lown, loon, runnion, outcast, vagabond, rogue, ronian, scum of the earth, riffraff, Arcades ambo, Int, sirrah!, Acherontis pabulum, gibier de potence.Animal
N animal, animal kingdom, fauna, brute creation, beast, brute, creature, critter, wight, created being, creeping thing, living thing, dumb animal, dumb creature, zoophyte, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, crustacean, shellfish, mollusk, worm, insect, arthropod, microbe, microbe, animalcule, alligator, crocodile, saurian, dinosaur (extinct), snake, serpent, viper, eft, asp, aspick, frog, toad, trout, bass, tuna, muskelunge, sailfish, sardine, mackerel, ant, mosquito, bee, honeybee, tardigrade, spider, biped, quadruped, webfoot, flocks and herds, live stock, domestic animals, wild animals, game, ferae naturae, beasts of the field, fowls of the air, denizens of the sea, black game, black grouse, blackcock, duck, grouse, plover, rail, snipe, horse, cattle, kine, ox, bull, bullock, cow, milch cow, calf, heifer, shorthorn, sheep, lamb, lambkin, ewe, ram, tup, pig, swine, boar, hog, sow, steer, stot, tag, teg, bison, buffalo, yak, zebu, dog, cat, dog, hound, pup, puppy, whelp, cur, mongrel, house dog, watch dog, sheep dog, shepherd's dog, sporting dog, fancy dog, lap dog, toy dog, bull dog, badger dog, mastiff, blood hound, grey hound, stag hound, deer hound, fox hound, otter hound, harrier, beagle, spaniel, pointer, setter, retriever, Newfoundland, water dog, water spaniel, pug, poodle, turnspit, terrier, fox terrier, Skye terrier, Dandie Dinmont, collie, feline, puss, pussy, grimalkin, gib cat, tom cat, fox, Reynard, vixen, stag, deer, hart, buck, doe, roe, caribou, coyote, elk, moose, musk ox, sambar, bird, poultry, fowl, cock, hen, chicken, chanticleer, partlet, rooster, dunghill cock, barn door fowl, feathered tribes, feathered songster, singing bird, dicky bird, canary, warbler, finch, aberdevine, cushat, cygnet, ringdove, siskin, swan, wood pigeon, vermin, varmint, pest, animal, zoological equine, bovine, vaccine, canine, feline, fishy, piscatory, piscatorial, molluscous, vermicular, gallinaceous, rasorial, solidungulate, soliped.Also see definition of "reptile" in Bible Study Dictionaries
For further exploring for "reptile" in Webster Dictionary Online