Reptile

rep′tīl, adj. moving or crawling on the belly or with very short legs: grovelling: low.— n. an animal that moves or crawls on its belly or with short legs: an oviparous quadruped: one of the cla of Reptil′ia ( n.pl. ) occupying a central position in the Vertebrate series, beneath them Amphibians and Fishes, above them Birds and Mammals: a grovelling, low person.— adjs. Reptil′ian , belonging to reptiles; Reptilif′erous , producing reptiles; Reptil′iform , related to reptiles; Reptil′ious , like a reptile.— n. Reptil′ium , a place where reptiles are kept.— adjs. Reptiliv′orous , feeding upon reptiles; Rep′tiloid , reptile form.— Reptilian age ( geol. ), the Mesozoic age, during which reptiles attained great development. [Fr.,—L. reptilis — repĕre , to creep.]