rattlesnake

noun

rat·​tle·​snake ˈra-tᵊl-ˌsnāk 

: any of several American pit vipers (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) that have horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when shaken

Illustration of rattlesnake

Examples of rattlesnake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Only last year, one Texas woman found a rattlesnake lurking in her toilet, and another also found a rat snake poking out from the U-bend. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

The thing is, loving a narcissist is like kissing a rattlesnake. —Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024

At the end of this story, a child was bit by a rattlesnake, received expert medical attention and a life was saved, with the remaining balance of $7,200 as the responsibility of the family to pay. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024

Its venom is about as deadly as that of a rattlesnake’s. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rattlesnake

• diamondback rattlesnake
• rattlesnake master
• rattlesnake plantain
• rattlesnake root
• rattlesnake weed
• timber rattlesnake

Kids Definition

rattlesnake

noun

rat·​tle·​snake ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk 

: any of various poisonous American snakes with a rattle at the end of the tail

Medical Definition

rattlesnake

noun

rat·​tle·​snake ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk 

: any of the American pit vipers that have a series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when vibrated and that comprise the genera Sistrurus and Crotalus see diamondback rattlesnake, tiger rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake