gecko en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈɡɛk.əʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Australia) audio
- /ˈɡɛk.oʊ/ (General-American)
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”).
Meanings
- Any lizard in the infraorder Gekkota.
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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.
Other reptiles found in the district are the chamaeleon, geco and monitor lizard, the last getting extinct due to netting and shooting. It is now protected by law.
1988, Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Aligarh, volume 20, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India: Government of Uttar Pradesh, →OCLC, page 15:Leishmania infantum in Experimental Animals.—Experiments were carried out with geckoes, white mice, field mice (Microtus güntheri) and hamsters (Cricetus auratus and Cricetulus griseus).
1931, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences, volume 108, London: Royal Society of London, →OCLC, page 456:GECKOES constitute a family of lizards remarkable for the large number of species it contains. They are also remarkable for a number of other features: for the readiness with which they have taken to living in houses, for their voices, the structure of their feet, the variation in the shape of the tail and for their eyes. […] As with the more familiar lizards, geckoes have the ability to cast the tail, and counts show that in some species two out of every five individuals have cast the tail and regenerated a new one.
1962, Maurice Burton, “Geckoes”, in The Illustrated London News, volume CCXL, number II, London: Illustrated London News & Sketch Ltd., →OCLC, page 548:The potential uses for gecko-inspired adhesive products are nearly endless. People have found possible uses for them from sports and robotics, to medicine and home improvement.
2014, Wil Mara, From Gecko Feet to Adhesive Tape (Innovations from Nature), Ann Arbor, Mich.: Cherry Lake Publishing, →ISBN, pages 21–22:The marvelous ability of geckos to run down trees, surefooted and head first, was first noted by Aristotle over two thousand years ago. However, Aristotle was not able to see the tiny hairs, called setae, that cover the toes of geckos and empower this feat. The setae are part of an adhesive system that allows geckos to maneuver on a wide variety of substrates, to run upside-down, and to arrest their falls. Geckos can run vertically at over 1 m/s and can carry over twice their body weight up smooth, vertical surfaces.
2009 January, Ginel Corina Hill, “Introduction”, in Dual-axis MEMS Force Sensors for Gecko Adhesion Studies (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation), Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University, →OCLC, page 1:By day, Golden-tailed Geckoes rest under curls of bark, the underside of branches, or in tree hollows but they seem to be fond of heat so these geckoes may even be in a situation where the sun shines on their daytime retreat all day. The Golden-tailed Gecko is an invertebrate-eater and by night its adhesive toe pads allow it to prowl the branches of Brigalow trees with ease, looking for small insects and spiders to capture.
2016, Martyn Robinson, Australian Wildlife after Dark, Clayton, Vic.: CSIRO Publishing, →ISBN:Many lizards, including the British common and sand lizards of the family Lacertidae, clamber over rocks with great agility; none matches the geckoes, some of which can run up, down, or across vertical glass as easily as most beasts run on the flat, and indeed can happily traverse ceilings.
1975 September 27, Colin Tudge, “How Gekko gecko defies gravity: A careful anatomical study of geckoes, those extremely agile climbing lizards, reveals an extraordinary degree of adaptation of the foot bones and muscles”, in New Scientist, volume 67, number 968, London: New Science Publications, →OCLC, page 696:Order II. Sauria. […] The heart has two auricles. The body is covered with scales, and there are three or four feet. The lungs are large, and extend along the back. The mouth is armed with teeth, and the toes with claws. The tail is long, and often thick at the base. […] Geckotida—geco
1839, William Rhind, “Reptiles”, in Elements of Zoology; Embracing a View of Life as Manifested in the Various Gradations of Organized Beings, Edinburgh: Fraser & Crawford; John Anderson, Junior; and Maclachlan & Stewart; Smith, Elder, & Co. and H. Washbourne, London; W. Curry, Junior, & Co. Dublin, →OCLC, pages 85–86:Family Gekkonidae (gekkos). In gekkos the skull is short and flat; the upper temporal bone arch is missing; the post-orbital and lacrimal bones are absent; and the jugal bone is very reduced.
1971, Victorian Year Book, Melbourne, Vic.: Government Printer, →OCLC, page 23:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chacco | alternative | lexicographic | |
| gekko | alternative | lexicographic | |
| geckos | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| geco | alternative | lexicographic | |
| jackoa | alternative | lexicographic | |
| geckoes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
gekkonine · geckolike · geckoless
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
thick-toed gecko · gargoyle gecko · leopard gecko · leaf-tailed gecko · bent-toed gecko · web-footed gecko · Antigua least gecko · Moorish gecko · tropical house gecko · Bibron's gecko · eyelash gecko · crocodile gecko · western banded gecko · crested gecko · tokay gecko · Durrell's night gecko · day gecko · gold dust day gecko · Phnom Laang bent-toed gecko · Yangihissar gecko · New Caledonian giant gecko · Mediterranean gecko · wall gecko · fringed gecko · warty thick-toed gecko · parachute gecko · Indo-Pacific gecko · dwarf gecko · house gecko · stump-toed gecko · mourning gecko · Tanahjampea bent-toed gecko · Tanishpa's dwarf gecko · flying gecko · common house gecko · Mediterranean house gecko
Synonyms
geckotian · geckotid · gekkonid
Translations (96)
lo ຂີ້ໂກະ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · pt lagartixa (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ko 도마뱀붙이 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · fr gecko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · uk геко́н (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · hu gekkó (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · yo ọmọnílé (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ka გეკონი (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · af koggelmannetjie (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · id tokek (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · sv geckoödla (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nn gekko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · si හූනා (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ru гекко́н (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · it geco (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · sv gecko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · yue 簷蛇 /檐蛇 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · is skrækeðla (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · lo ຈີ່ໂກະ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · cmn 蝘蜓 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · vi tắc kè (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · mr पाल (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · lo ກັບໂກ້ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · arz برص (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · bg гекон (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · mkj soasok (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · shi ⵉⵇⵍⵉ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ja 守宮 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · tr geko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nan-hbl 蟮蟲 /蟮虫 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · acw وزغة (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · km តឹកកែ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · th ตุ๊กแก (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ta பாரதிக்கு (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · es salamanquesa (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · mi moko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ary بو بريص (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nl gekko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · as কেঁকো (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · scn scurpiuni (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · shi ⵜⵉⵇⵍⵉⵜ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · pt osga (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · mos bãngenlɛgsre (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · eu dragoitxo (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · scn tignusu (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ms tokek (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ar وَزَغَة (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · lo ກະໂຫລ່ງ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · scn passijaturi (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · el σαμιαμίδι (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · wo wunk bi (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · scn zazzamita (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · da gekko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · as কেঁকোসাপ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · yue 四腳蛇 /四脚蛇 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · bn তক্ষক (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · tyz cắc kè (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ca dragó (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · vi cắc kè (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · bxd tʃɿ̆.ʃap⁵⁵ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · my တောက်တဲ့ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · kk жармасқы (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nb gekko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · id toke (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · tl tuko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ja 家守 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · xcl քարաթոթոշ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · ja ヤモリ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · jv tekèk (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · cmn 守宮 /守宫 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nup latswánlatswángi (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nys bidjool (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · pl gekon (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · wa djecok (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · lo ສະຣະພູ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · is gekkó (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · eo geko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · eu geko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nup tswánlagi (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · mnc ᠶᡝᡴᠰᡝᡵᡥᡝᠨ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · yo aláàmù (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · he שממית (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · cmn 壁虎 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · nup màlélégi (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · hak 簷蛇 /檐蛇 (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · grc ἀσκάλαβος (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · de Gecko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · svs gharo (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · th จิ้งจก (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · cop ⲧⲉⲗⲙⲟⲛⲓⲁ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · fi gekko (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · gl ladra (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · zu intulo (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · sw mjusi kafiri (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · es geco (lizard of the family Gekkonidae) · lo ກັບແກ້ (lizard of the family Gekkonidae)