Alligator
a.k.a. Williams Alligator
Bill Williams' trend indicator made of three shifted moving averages nicknamed the jaw, teeth and lips.
The Alligator draws three smoothed moving averages of different lengths, each nudged forward in time. Bill Williams called them the jaw (slowest), teeth and lips (fastest).
When the three lines are tangled together, the alligator is 'sleeping' and the market is ranging. When they fan apart in order, its mouth is open and it is 'eating': a trend is running. It is a picture-friendly way to avoid trading trends that do not exist, though like all moving averages it reacts late.
Keep this word for good
Your free Private Swap Lounge saves the terms you’ve learned and quizzes you on them. Portal under construction. Expected delivery date is December 01, 2026.