reptilious

reptilious

English

Etymology

From reptile +‎ -ious, replacing earlier adjectival reptile and reptitious.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɹɛpˈtɪlɪəs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɹɛpˈtɪljəs/, /ɹɛpˈtɪliəs/
• Rhymes: -ɪlɪəs, -ɪljəs, -ɪliəs

Adjective

reptilious (comparative more reptilious, superlative most reptilious)

1. (dated) Synonym of reptile: creeping, crawling.
   • 1771, William Pardon & al., A New General English Dictionary, 14th ed., s.v. "Reptilious":

     Reptilious, creeping, crawling, swarming upon the belly, etc.

2. (dated) Synonym of reptilian: reptilelike, of or related to members of the class Reptilia.
   • 1858 December 8, Birmingham Daily Post, page 4:

     The lecturer... pointed out the peculiar difference in the process of breathing which distinguished the reptilious from the acquatic species.

References

• “reptilious, adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.