colubrine
|co-lu-brine|
C2
/kəˈluːbraɪn/
snake-like
Etymology
Etymology Information
'colubrine' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'colubrinus', where 'coluber' meant 'snake'.
Historical Evolution
'colubrinus' passed into Late Latin/Old French as forms like 'colubrine' and was later borrowed into English as 'colubrine'.
Meaning Changes
Initially it meant 'of or pertaining to snakes', but over time it came to be used more generally as 'resembling or characteristic of a snake'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
resembling or characteristic of a snake; serpentine in form, movement, or quality.
The dancer moved with a colubrine grace that made her arms seem to writhe like a snake.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/03 18:40