coachwhip

[ kohch-hwip, -wip ]

noun

1. a whip, usually having a long lash, used in driving a coach horse.
2. Also called coachwhip snake. a long, slender snake, Masticophis flagellum, of the southern United States and Mexico, having a thin tail resembling a braided whip.

Word History and Origins

Origin of coachwhip¹

First recorded in 1730–40; coach + whip

Example Sentences

Nobody spares a rattlesnake, however much they might wish to let an innocent coachwhip or a common gartersnake get away.

From Project Gutenberg

That interesting bird—the Coachwhip Bird—is far more often heard than seen.

From Project Gutenberg