Serpent

Quick meaning: Serpent is a noun meaning (now literary) A snake, especially a large or dangerous one.

Meaning

(now literary) A snake, especially a large or dangerous one.

More Meanings

1. (figurative) A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.
2. (music) An obsolete wind instrument in the brass family, whose shape is suggestive of a snake (Wikipedia article).
3. A kind of firework with a serpentine motion.
4. (mythology, fantasy) A snake-like monster, such as a dragon or sea serpent.
5. (obsolete, intransitive) To wind or meander
6. (obsolete, transitive) To encircle.

Example Sentences

He is a very serpent in my way.

fruit-trees, whose boles are serpented with excellent vines

He falls into it, who has digg'd a Pit. Who breaks a Hedge is with a Serpent bit.

Then Beowulf too rallied. With his whetted dagger he slit a gash in the serpent's middle.

Word Forms

• serpents
• serpenting
• serpented

Synonyms for serpent

Depending on context, synonyms include adder, edder, snake, ophidian, remora, backstabber.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include snake, ophidian, viper, rattlesnake, cobra, sidewinder.

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