bluebelly

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See also: blue belly

English[edit]

A bluebelly

Etymology[edit]

blue +‎ belly. The ventral abdomen of the adult lizard is characteristically blue. The soldiers wore blue gaberdines.

Noun[edit]

bluebelly (plural bluebellies)

  1. Sceloporus occidentalis, a North American lizard.
    Synonym: western fence lizard
  2. (historical) A Yankee; a Union soldier during the American civil war.
    Coordinate term: greyback
    • 1989, Paul R. Stevenson, Cross a Wide River, →ISBN:
      The 'bluebelly' instantly disclosed that the troops were Confederate.
    • 2007, Harry Turtledove, Fort Pillow: A Novel of the Civil War, St. Martin's Press, →ISBN:
      He almost dropped his end of the plank that had a wounded Federal on it. The bluebelly groaned. The Confederate trooper at the other end of the plank said, “Watch what you're doing, dammit! What the hell's wrong with you, anyways?"
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