rattlesnake

American  

[rat-l-snayk] / ˈræt lˌsneɪk /

noun

• rattlesnakes
  plural

1. any of several New World pit vipers of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, having a rattle composed of a series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail.

---

rattlesnake British  

/ ˈrætəlˌsneɪk /

noun

1. any of the venomous New World snakes constituting the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus , such as C. horridus ( black or timber rattlesnake ): family Crotalidae (pit vipers). They have a series of loose horny segments on the tail that are vibrated to produce a buzzing or whirring sound

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rattlesnakes
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of rattlesnake

An Americanism dating back to 1620–30; rattle ¹ + snake

---

Compare meaning

How does rattlesnake compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• roadrunner vs. rattlesnake

---

Explanation

A rattlesnake is a long, venomous reptile with a tail that shakes, making a sound like a maraca, before it bites. When you're camping in the Arizona desert, you'll want to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes get their name from the rattle at the end of their tails that's composed of rattling pieces of keratin, the same kind of protein found in your fingernails. In order to scare off predators, rattlesnakes noisily vibrate their tails, warning that they're ready to strike. While these snakes cause most snake bites in the U.S., they only attack if they're feeling threatened, and rattlesnake bites aren't deadly if they're treated right away.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rattlesnake rattlesnakes

In laboratory experiments, optimized combinations of the proteins were about 10 times more potent than the current sheep-derived rattlesnake antivenom.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026

It could also bind to and inhibit toxins from the venoms of several other rattlesnake species.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026

I tracked her down to the high desert in the western US - rattlesnake country.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

California’s latest victim of a deadly rattlesnake bite has emerged, and it’s not a human but a black jaguar living in a Central Valley sanctuary, underscoring the dangers of rattlesnake poisonings this year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

For the adventurous, there is fried rattlesnake or Rocky Mountain oysters for appetizers.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

They did not find any drugs, but vipers, rattlesnakes and other species of snakes and lizards, including iguanas, hidden in shampoo and cream bottles, plastic containers and balls of socks.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Experts say unseasonably warm weather patterns at the beginning of the year have driven rattlesnakes out of their winter retreats ahead of rattlesnake season in search of food and mates.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Mr. Kneale could have added to his list of creatures with which Floridians are willing to coexist: sharks, raccoons, armadillos, possums, rattlesnakes and bugs of every variety.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Pygmy rattlesnakes showed especially high rates of snake fungal disease.

From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026

This was a trick he’d learned from Gran, and unlike with rattlesnakes, it actually worked on bee stings.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---