serpentine

¹ American  

[sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn] / ˈsɜr pənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn /

noun

1. a common mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, H 2 Mg 3 Si 2 O 2 , usually oily green and sometimes spotted, occurring in many varieties: used for architectural and decorative purposes.

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serpentine ² American  

[sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn] / ˈsɜr pənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement.

2. having a winding course, as a road; sinuous.

   Synonyms:

   tortuous , twisting

3. shrewd, wily, or cunning.

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noun

1. a device on a harquebus lock for holding the match.

2. a cannon having any of various bore sizes, used from the 15th to the 17th century.

3. Skating.  a school figure made by skating two figure eights that share one loop.

verb (used without object)

serpentined, serpentining

1. to make or follow a winding course.

   The stream serpentines through the valley.

serpentine ¹ British  

/ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a serpent

2. twisting; winding

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noun

1. maths a curve that is symmetric about the origin of and asymptotic to the x -axis

serpentine ² British  

/ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn /

noun

1. a dark green or brown mineral with a greasy or silky lustre, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is used as an ornamental stone; and one variety (chrysotile) is known as asbestos. Composition: hydrated magnesium silicate. Formula: Mg 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 . Crystal structure: monoclinic

2. any of a group of minerals having the general formula (Mg,Fe) 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4

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serpentine Scientific  

/ sûr′pən-tēn′,-tīn′ /

1. Any of a group of greenish, brownish, or yellowish monoclinic minerals, occurring in igneous or metamorphic rocks. They are used as a source of magnesium and asbestos. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe) ₃ Si ₂ O ₅ (OH) ₄ .

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Etymology

Origin of serpentine¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English serpentin(e), from Old French serpentine and Medieval Latin serpentīnum (neuter) and serpentīna (feminine), noun use of neuter of serpentīnus serpentine ¹

Origin of serpentine¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (adjective) from Old French serpentin, serpentine and Latin serpentīnus “snakelike”; Serpens, -ine ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

His serpentine plot flows to a natural yet shocking conclusion.

From The Wall Street Journal

The stone, set in a serpentine ring, once belonged to Rachel Lambert Mellon, better known as Bunny Mellon, a US horticulturalist, philanthropist and art collector.

From Barron's

From bag-check to security to the serpentine concourses filled with high-end shops, private airline clubs, restaurants, spas and more, making your way through a supersize airport terminal is like a journey in itself.

From The Wall Street Journal

Downtown, where bluffs rise above the serpentine Mississippi River, George Campbell was walking his goldendoodle, Zac, when he spotted a group of National Guard soldiers in fatigues, handguns holstered at their hips.

From The Wall Street Journal

But eventually, after a serpentine, multiyear effort, the whereabouts of the original negative were finally uncovered.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• artful
• circuitous
• convoluted
• curved
• meandering
• sinuous
• twisting