serpent

serpent — noun

1. a long, thin reptile that has no legs and moves by sliding its body along the gr

1.nounB2
Definition

a long, thin reptile that has no legs and moves by sliding its body along the ground

Example

Salma saw a green serpent slither across the path during her hike.

collocation: slither across [surface]

A small, dark serpent lay coiled under the rocks near the riverbank.

Common collocations
  • deadly serpent
  • venomous serpent
  • serpent slithers
  • serpent coils
  • serpent hisses
Synonyms
  • snake

    everyday word; serpent is more formal and literary

Usage Note

Serpent is a more formal or literary word than snake. In everyday conversation, snake is the usual choice.

Common Mistakes

I saw a serpent in the garden yesterday.
I saw a snake in the garden yesterday.
'serpent' sounds overly formal or literary for ordinary situations.

2. a very large snake, often one that appears in ancient stories, myths, or religio

2.nounB2
Definition

a very large snake, often one that appears in ancient stories, myths, or religious texts

Example

In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a monstrous serpent with many heads.

mythological context: Hydra / monstrous serpent

The legend tells of a giant serpent that guarded a hidden temple.

Common collocations
  • giant serpent
  • mythical serpent
  • sea serpent
  • monstrous serpent
  • ancient serpent
Synonyms
  • dragon

    a mythical creature with legs and wings; not a true synonym but overlaps in legendary contexts

Usage Note

Common in descriptions of mythology, religious texts (especially the serpent in the Book of Genesis), and fantasy literature. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always implies unusual size or legendary status.

Word family

  • serpentine
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Snake is the everyday, neutral word for the long, legless reptile — use it in ordinary conversation and writing. Serpent is more literary or formal, appearing in mythology, religious texts, and poetic or dramatic contexts; it carries a slightly older, grander tone. Viper refers specifically to a venomous family of snakes (Viperidae) and is also used figuratively for a treacherous person. While a serpent can describe any snake, calling an animal a viper gives a scientific or metaphorical precision that serpent and snake lack. For example: 'A snake slithered across the road' (everyday); 'The ancient worshippers bowed before the great serpent' (mythological); 'That species is a viper, so its bite is dangerous' (scientific).

serpent ↗snake ↗viper ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Serpent comes from the Latin word serpentem, meaning 'the creeping one', which is the present participle of serpere ('to creep'). It entered English through Old French serpente. The name reflects the animal's sliding, crawling way of moving.