chameleon
any of numerous Old World lizards of the family Chamaeleontidae, characterized by the ability to change the color of their skin, very slow locomotion, and a projectile tongue.
any of several American lizards capable of changing the color of the skin, especially Anolis carolinensis(American chameleon ), of the southeastern U.S.
a changeable, fickle, or inconstant person.
(initial capital letter)Astronomy. Chamaeleon.
Origin of chameleon
1Other words from chameleon
- cha·me·le·on·ic [kuh-mee-lee-on-ik], /kəˌmi liˈɒn ɪk/, adjective
- cha·me·le·on·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use chameleon in a sentence
Like a chameleon, they’ve got claws, scales, massive eye sockets, and a double-jointed neck that isn’t very characteristic of today’s amphibians.
This weird Cretaceous amphibian has the oldest-recorded ballistic tongue | Sara Kiley Watson | November 11, 2020 | Popular-ScienceAt the time, “we agreed that it was a chameleon,” says Stanley, who is also a coauthor on the new study.
An ancient amphibian is the oldest known animal with a slingshot tongue | Carolyn Gramling | November 5, 2020 | Science NewsCreators Robert and Michelle King have toyed with the audience here, creating in Kalinda a chameleonic character.
‘Homeland’ and ‘The Good Wife’ Season Premieres: Review | Jace Lacob | September 27, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
British Dictionary definitions for chameleon
/ (kəˈmiːlɪən) /
any lizard of the family Chamaeleontidae of Africa and Madagascar, having long slender legs, a prehensile tail and tongue, and the ability to change colour
a changeable or fickle person
Origin of chameleon
1Derived forms of chameleon
- chameleonic (kəˌmiːlɪˈɒnɪk), adjective
- chameleon-like, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse