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Definition of mugger crocodile
mugger crocodile
Plural:mugger crocodiles
mugger crocodile Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A medium-sized, broad-snouted crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) native to freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and marshes across the Indian subcontinent and southern Iran.
Example
"The wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat is well-known for its large population of mugger crocodiles basking along the riverbanks."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'mugger' in this animal's name is an etymological false friend derived from Hindi; it is completely unrelated to the English word for a street robber.
Word Origin & Etymology
The word 'mugger' derives from the Hindi word 'magar' (meaning crocodile), which traces back to the Sanskrit 'makara', referring to a mythical water creature. Joined with 'crocodile', tracing to the Greek 'krokodeilos'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Mugger crocodile. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/mugger crocodile