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Definition of spiny-tailed lizard

spiny-tailed lizard

Plural:spiny-tailed lizards
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• noun

1

Any of several ground-dwelling, primarily herbivorous lizards, particularly those of the genus Uromastyx, native to the arid and desert regions of North Africa and the Middle East, distinguished by their thick, muscular tails covered in whorls of hard spikes.

Example

"When threatened by a predator, the spiny-tailed lizard often retreats into its burrow, leaving only its armored tail exposed to block the entrance."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for spiny-tailed lizard

• Nearby Words

spiny lizard
spiny softshell turtle
spiny-tailed iguana
spiny-tailed lizard
spiny-tailed monitor
spiraea
spiral

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Spiny-tailed lizard. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/spiny--tailed-lizard
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