gharial
/ˈɡarɪɑːl
/ /ˌɡʌrɪˈɑːl / /ˈɡɛːrɪəl/(also gavial)
noun
A large fish-eating crocodile with a long, narrow snout that widens at the nostrils, native to the Indian subcontinent.
- Gavialis gangeticus, the only member of the family Gavialidae.
- Our streams and rivers teem with crocodiles, gharials and a large variety of fish, turtles and dolphins.
- The Indian gharial was excluded from this study.
Origin
Early 19th century: from Hindi ghaṛiyāl. The spelling gavial (from French) is an alteration probably due to scribal error.