serpent-footed
|ser-pent-foot-ed|
🇺🇸
/ˈsɝpəntˌfʊtɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˈsɜːp(ə)ntˌfʊtɪd/
having snake-like feet
Etymology
'serpent-footed' is an English compound formed from 'serpent' + 'footed', where 'serpent' comes from Latin 'serpens/serpent-' meaning 'a creeping creature, snake' and 'footed' is formed from Old English 'fōt' (foot) + the adjectival suffix '-ed'.
'serpent' entered English via Old French and Latin (Latin 'serpens, serpent-') and 'footed' comes from Old English 'fōted' (literally 'having feet'); the compound construction combining a noun and '-footed' (as in 'barefooted', 'cloven-footed') produced 'serpent-footed' in later English, especially in poetic/mythic usage.
Initially used to describe beings literally said to have snake-like feet, the expression also came to be used figuratively in literature to suggest a sinuous, stealthy, or uncanny quality of movement or appearance.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having feet like a serpent; literally possessing snake-like feet, or figuratively resembling a snake in the way one moves or appears; often used in poetic or mythic descriptions.
In the old tale the giant was described as serpent-footed, slipping through the marshes with a silent, sinuous crawl.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/05 02:27