serpent

noun

ser·​pent ˈsər-pənt 

1

a

archaic : a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings

b

: snake

2

: devil sense 1

3

: a treacherous person

Synonyms

• snake
• viper

Examples of serpent in a Sentence

an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl

beware the temptations of the serpent

Recent Examples on the Web

With fangs and disquieting marble eyes, the serpents jut and lurch around the exhibition in the four cardinal directions, marking a sacred space. —Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 21 June 2024

Around the spring and fall equinoxes, there is a distinctive light-and-shadow effect that creates the illusion of a serpent slithering down the staircase. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 12 June 2024

The fact that the first major divergence from ancestral snakes is the blind snake group—a small, burrowing type of serpent—adds some weight to this theory. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 June 2024

After struggling with the serpents, Addis managed to get two extenders. —Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin serpent-, serpens, from present participle of serpere to creep; akin to Greek herpein to creep, Sanskrit sarpati he creeps

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing serpent

• sea serpent

Kids Definition

serpent

noun

ser·​pent ˈsər-pənt 

: a usually large snake