kāˈman, kī-, -maa(ə)n, ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷, ˈkāmən noun
Etymology: Spanish caimán caiman, alligator, probably from 16th century Carib caymán
1. or cay·man “ -s : any of several Central and So. American crocodilians fundamentally similar to alligators but differing in ventral armor and often superficially resembling crocodiles — called also jacare ; see spectacled caiman
2. capitalized
[New Latin, from Spanish caimán ]
: a genus of crocodilians comprising most of the caimans