gecko
UK /ˈɡɛk.əʊ/ · US /ˈɡɛk.oʊ/ noun, verb
Forms geckos geckoes geckoing geckoed chacco geco gekko jackoa
- noun Any lizard in the infraorder Gekkota.
- noun Any lizard of the family Gekkonidae of small, carnivorous, mostly nocturnal animals with large eyes and adhesive toes enabling them to climb on vertical and upside-down surfaces.
- verb (rare) To move in the manner of a gecko; to attach to a vertical or upside-down surface.
- noun Eggcorn of get-go.
Synonyms
Etymology
The modern form was probably borrowed into English and other European languages from Dutch gekko (1718). Contemporary English forms were chacco (1711) and jackoa (1724). The further origin is not quite clear. Some sources mention a supposed Malay gekok, gekoq, or gekop, which would be imitative of the gecko’s chirping sound. Another theory derives it from Acehnese gèh-gòh (“busy”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any lizard of the family Geckonidæ. The geckoes are small, carnivorous, mostly nocturnal animals with large eyes and vertical, elliptical pupils. Their toes are generally expanded, and furnished with adhesive disks, by which they can run over walls and ceilings.
Etymology [Cf. F. & G. gecko; -- so called from the sound which the animal utters.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “gecko”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details