Alligator
late 16th century: from Spanish el lagarto ‘the lizard’, probably based on Latin lacerta .
wiktionary
From early Modern English alligater, alligarta, aligarto, alegarto, alagarto, from Spanish el lagarto(“the lizard”), from Latin lacertus(“lizard”), modern spelling possibly influenced by the unrelated Latin alligator(“one who binds”).
Borrowed from Latin alligātor.
etymonline
alligator (n.)
1560s, "large carnivorous reptile of the Americas," lagarto, aligarto, a corruption of Spanish el lagarto (de Indias) "the lizard (of the Indies)," from Latin lacertus (see lizard), with Spanish definite article el, from Latin ille (see le).
The modern form of the English word is attested from 1620s, with unetymological -r as in tater, feller, etc. (Alligarter was an early variant) and an overall Latin appearance. The slang meaning "non-playing devotee of swing music" is attested from 1936; the phrase see you later, alligator is from a 1956 song title.
