Aligator or alligator?
Did you mean alligator? Here's the right spelling and how to remember it.
Incorrect
aligator
Correct
alligator
Correct spelling: alligator. Misspelling: aligator.
letters the misspelling gets wrong or leaves out letters that shouldn't be there
Memory tip
Double L, then "ga": al-li-GA-tor.
Why people write “aligator”
The misspelling “aligator” is only one letter off: it uses a single L where alligator has a double LL.
Spell-checkers catch the mistake in a document, but not in a handwritten note, a text message or a word game. Writing the word out a few times while saying the tricky part aloud is the quickest way to make alligator automatic.
Other misspellings of “alligator”
People also write “allegator”. Here is where each one goes wrong.
“allegator”
Correct spelling: alligator. Misspelling: allegator.
letters the misspelling gets wrong or leaves out letters that shouldn't be there
The misspelling “allegator” is only one letter off: it writes E where alligator has I, an easy slip because in an unstressed syllable both vowels can sound like the same soft "uh".
What does “alligator” mean?
alligator noun
- leather made from alligator's hide
- either of two amphibious reptiles related to crocodiles but with shorter broader snouts
Synonyms:gator
alligator verb
- crack and acquire the appearance of alligator hide, as from weathering or improper application; of paint and varnishes
Definitions from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Full dictionary entry
“Alligator” in a sentence
- An alligator was sunbathing on the riverbank.
Is “alligator” a playable word?
10 points in Scrabble · 13 in Words With Friends
- Scrabble (US)
- Scrabble (UK)
- Words With Friends
“aligator” is not accepted in any of these games. See every word you can make from ALLIGATOR.