krokodil (English)

Where does "krokodil" come from?

The English word 'krokodil' comes directly from the Russian 'крокоди́л', meaning 'crocodile'[1]. This name was applied to the drug because of its severe, scaly effects on the skin[1][2]. The term also serves as a doublet of the word 'crocodile'[1].

Full etymology tree

• krokodil (English), 'The drug desomorphine.'
  • borrowed крокодил (krokodíl) (Russian), 'crocodile'
    • inherited крокодилъ (krokodil) (Middle Russian)

Cognates and doublets

• crocodile (English)

Sources

1. krokodil (English) - Wiktionary
2. крокодил (krokodíl) (Russian) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris