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Definition of galapagos land iguana
galapagos land iguana
Plural:Galapagos land iguanas
galapagos land iguana Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A large, heavily built species of yellowish lizard endemic to the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, known for its terrestrial habits and a diet consisting largely of prickly pear cactus.
Example
"While exploring the arid islands, the naturalists photographed a massive Galapagos land iguana resting in the shade of a cactus."
Word Nuance & Usage
Carefully distinguished from the closely related Galapagos marine iguana, as this species lives entirely on land and primarily feeds on cactus rather than ocean algae.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after the Galapagos Islands (from Spanish 'galápago', meaning 'saddle' or 'tortoise'), combined with its terrestrial habitat ('land') and its genus classification ('iguana', derived from the Taino word 'iwana').
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Galapagos land iguana. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/galapagos land iguana