Lagarto
/lɑˈɡar.to/noun
A lizard.
Did you know?Spanish lagarto comes from Latin lacertus/lacerta, the same ancient word family that gave English lizard its name, showing how one reptile’s identity split into different forms across Europe.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
lacerta
“a lizard”
Vulgar Latin
Latin
*lacartu / *lagartu
“a lizard (regional spoken form)”
Old Spanish
Old Spanish
lagarto
“a lizard”
Modern Spanish
Spanish
lagarto
“a lizard”
Explore more surprising origins