herptile

Meanings

1. 1nouncountabletechnical

   A reptile or amphibian, especially when the two groups are talked about together.

   Grammar: Countable: one herptile, two herptiles; mostly used in the plural in scientific and hobby writing.

   Patterns

   • a herptile species
   • keep herptiles as pets
   • study herptiles

   The park is home to more than forty kinds of herptile.

   She keeps several herptiles, including two snakes and a tree frog.

   Herptiles need very specific heat and humidity in captivity.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Relating to reptiles and amphibians as a combined group.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun and has no comparative form: herptile survey, not 'more herptile'.

   Patterns

   • herptile survey
   • herptile species
   • herptile conservation

   Volunteers carried out a herptile survey along the riverbank.

   The reserve runs herptile conservation projects every summer.

Word forms

Common combinations

herptile species

Several herptile species in the region are now protected by law.

herptile survey

The students did a herptile survey for their biology project.

keep herptiles

He has kept herptiles since he was a teenager.

herptile conservation

Money from the appeal goes to herptile conservation.

Synonyms and how they differ

reptile

Use reptile for the scaly group alone; herptile also covers frogs, toads and salamanders.

amphibian

Amphibian refers only to the moist-skinned group such as frogs; herptile covers both groups together.

Word family

herpetology noun

the scientific study of reptiles and amphibians

herpetologist noun

a scientist who studies reptiles and amphibians

herpetological adjective

relating to the study of reptiles and amphibians

Commonly confused: herptile or reptile?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “herptile”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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