milk snake

noun

1. any of numerous, usually brightly marked king snakes of the subspecies Lampropeltis triangulum ( doliata ), of North America.

milk snake

noun

1. a nonvenomous brown-and-grey North American colubrid snake Lampropeltis doliata, related to the king snakes

Word History and Origins

Origin of milk snake¹

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800; so called because they were said to suck milk from cows

Example Sentences

And, gliding like a lovely and innocent milk snake out of his grasp, she slipped away.

From Project Gutenberg

Near them a milk snake had stowed himself away in a crevice, and in the little earthquake which we set up got badly crushed.

From Project Gutenberg

The Red Milk Snake is prettily colored—red and yellow—and is the type found in the south.

From Project Gutenberg

After one has seen a copperhead he is not likely to confuse it with the milk snake or any other.

From Project Gutenberg