What does "gila monster" mean?

A venomous lizard, Heloderma suspectum, that lives in the deserts of the southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico.

What is a synonym for "gila monster"?

Common synonyms include: chameleon, dragon, gila, heloderma suspectum, reptile.

Pronounced //ˈhiːlə ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)//.

/ˈhiːlə ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/ noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A venomous lizard, Heloderma suspectum, that lives in the deserts of the southwestern USA and northwestern Mexico.
2
large orange and black lizard of southwestern United States; not dangerous unless molested wordnet

From the Gila River in Arizona and New Mexico, whose name may ultimately derive from a Yuma word meaning "running water which is salty".