rattlesnake
|rat-tle-snake|
🇺🇸
/ˈrætəl.sneɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˈræt(ə)l.sneɪk/
venomous snake with a rattling tail
Etymology
'rattlesnake' originates from English, a compound of 'rattle' + 'snake' (a snake that rattles). 'rattle' is an imitative word formed to echo a rattling sound; 'snake' comes from Old English 'snaca'.
'rattlesnake' formed in Early Modern English as a descriptive compound combining the sound-imitative element 'rattle' with 'snake'; the compound has been used in English since at least the 17th century to name the species familiar in North America.
Initially, it literally named the snake that makes a rattling sound; the primary literal meaning remains, and a secondary figurative sense (a treacherous person) developed by metaphor.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a venomous North American snake of the genera Crotalus or Sistrurus, characterized by a segmented rattle at the end of the tail that makes a warning noise.
We heard a rattlesnake warning us with its rattle before it slipped away into the brush.
Synonyms
Noun 2
informal/figurative: a treacherous or dangerous person — someone who betrays or harms others unexpectedly.
He seemed friendly at first, but he turned out to be a rattlesnake in the office.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/23 23:50