reptile

Etymology

From Middle English reptil, from Old French reptile, from Late Latin rēptile, neuter of reptilis (“creeping”), from Latin rēpō (“to creep”), from Proto-Indo-European *rep- (“to creep, slink”) (Pokorny; Watkins, 1969).

noun

  1. (strictly) A cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia; an amniote that is neither a synapsid nor a bird; excludes amphibians.
  2. (loosely, historical) A reptile or amphibian.
  3. (figurative) A mean or grovelling person.

adj

  1. Creeping; moving on the belly, or by means of small and short legs.
  2. Grovelling; low; vulgar.
    a reptile race or crew    reptile vices

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