---
title: tuatara — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «tuatara» in the school dictionary: A tuatara is a lizard-like reptile found only in New Zealand; it is the last living member of a very old group of reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# tuatara

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** tuatara, reptiles, Rats, We · **What happens:** be, find, live, not be, look, have · **To what, where:** like reptile, New Zealand, last living member, true lizard, spines, tuatara

<!-- .vabout -->
«tuatara» in the school dictionary: its meaning for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [tuatara in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tuatara.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tuatara is a lizard-like reptile found only in New Zealand; it is the last living member of a very old group of reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs.

<!-- fold The tree, 30 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:m1:1
# text = A tuatara is a lizard-like reptile found only in New Zealand; it is the last living member of a very old group of reptiles that lived alongside the dinosaurs.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	lizard	lizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	reptile	reptile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	8	acl	_	_
10	only	only	ADV	RB	_	13	advmod	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	flat	_	_
13	Zealand	Zealand	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	20	punct	_	_
15	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	20	nsubj	_	_
16	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	20	cop	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
18	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
19	living	living	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	20	amod	_	_
20	member	member	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
22	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
23	very	very	ADV	RB	_	24	advmod	_	_
24	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	25	amod	_	_
25	group	group	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	20	nmod	_	_
26	of	of	ADP	IN	_	27	case	_	_
27	reptiles	reptile	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	25	nmod	_	_
28	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	29	nsubj	_	_
29	lived	live	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	27	acl:relcl	_	_
30	alongside	alongside	ADP	IN	_	32	case	_	_
31	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	32	det	_	_
32	dinosaurs	dinosaur	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
33	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a tuatara | a like reptile and the last living member |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **find** | participle |  | a like reptile and the last living member *not said here* |  | New Zealand |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **is a** | present | tuatara | the last living member |  |  |  | of a old group of reptiles | tree rules |
| 4 | **live** | past | reptiles |  |  |  |  | alongside the dinosaurs | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme alongside dinosaur=Location |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tuatara lives only in New Zealand.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:x1:1
# text = The tuatara lives only in New Zealand.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	only	only	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	New	New	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	flat	_	_
7	Zealand	Zealand	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | the tuatara |  |  | New Zealand |  |  | vn lodge-46 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme in zealand=Location |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A tuatara is not a true lizard, even though it looks like one.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:x2:1
# text = A tuatara is not a true lizard, even though it looks like one.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	true	true	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	lizard	lizard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
9	even	even	ADV	RB	_	12	advmod	_	_
10	though	though	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
12	looks	look	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
13	like	like	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **is a** | present | a tuatara | a true lizard |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **look** | present | tuatara |  |  |  |  | like one | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Some tuatara live for more than a hundred years.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:x3:1
# text = Some tuatara live for more than a hundred years.
1	Some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	2	det	_	_
2	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	live	live	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
5	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp|ExtPos=ADV	8	advmod	_	_
6	than	than	ADP	IN	_	5	fixed	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	hundred	hundred	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	years	year	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **live** | present | some tuatara |  |  |  | year |  | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The tuatara has spines along its back.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:x4:1
# text = The tuatara has spines along its back.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	spines	spine	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	along	along	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the tuatara | spines |  |  |  | along tuatara's back | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent spine=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rats nearly wiped out the tuatara on many islands.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:x5:1
# text = Rats nearly wiped out the tuatara on many islands.
1	Rats	rat	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	nearly	nearly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	wiped	wipe	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	out	out	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	islands	island	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **wipe out** | past | Rats | the tuatara |  | many islands |  | nearly *property* | vn funnel-9.3-1 «NP V NP PP.trajectory»: agent=Agent tuatara=Theme on island=Trajectory |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We saw a tuatara at the wildlife sanctuary.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:tuatara:x6:1
# text = We saw a tuatara at the wildlife sanctuary.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	tuatara	tuatara	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	wildlife	wildlife	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	compound	_	_
8	sanctuary	sanctuary	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | We | a tuatara |  | the wildlife sanctuary |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer tuatara=Stimulus |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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