chameleon
noun
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The chameleon is probably best known for the ability to change colors - but when the ancients named this lizard, they apparently had other qualities in mind. "Chameleon" comes to us, via Latin, from Greek chamaileōn, a combination of "chamai" ("on the ground") and "leōn" ("lion") - a tribute, perhaps, to the lizard's fearsome aspect. It is the ability of the chameleon to change colors, however, that has led to the figurative use of "chameleon" for someone or something that is quick to change. Such figurative use dates back to at least the late 16th century, as demonstrated by King James VI who, writing in 1586 or 1587, requested "I praye you not to takk me to be a Camelion."
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Examples of chameleon in a Sentence
Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024
Published on September 27, 2024 By Robert Ross Paul Fuentes
Photo : Lannoo Publishers
Photo : Demetrius Romanos
Like a chameleon, this 1956 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday hardtop coupe is nearly invisible in the driveway of a San Fernando Valley home in Granada Hills, Calif.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2024
Álvarez is a chameleon, trying to decipher the meaning of each strand of the marvel that is Colombian and Latin music.
—Daniel Alarcón, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024
Clogs are the chameleons of footwear: Pair them with long shorts, mini skirts, midi dresses or your go-to jeans.
—Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 10 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Chameleon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chameleon. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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chameleon
noun
Middle English chamelion "chameleon," from early French chamelion (same meaning), from Latin chamaeleon (same meaning), from Greek chamaileōn, from chamai "on the ground" and leōn "lion"
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