cockatrice

American  

[kok-uh-tris] / ˈkɒk ə trɪs /

noun

1. a legendary monster with a deadly glance, supposedly hatched by a serpent from the egg of a rooster, and commonly represented with the head, legs, and wings of a rooster and the body and tail of a serpent.

2. (in the Bible) a venomous serpent.

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cockatrice British  

/ -ˌtraɪs, ˈkɒkətrɪs /

noun

1. a legendary monster, part snake and part cock, that could kill with a glance

2. another name for basilisk

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Etymology

Origin of cockatrice

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English cocatrice, from Middle French cocatris, from Medieval Latin caucātrīces (plural), Latin calcātrīx (unattested), feminine of calcātor (unattested) ”tracker,” equivalent to calcā(re) “to tread,” verbal derivative of calx “heel” + -tor agent suffix; the Latin was a direct translation of Greek word ichneúmōn, having the same meaning. See -trix, -tor, ichneumon

Example Sentences

As for the cockatrice, he was not going to stand that sort of thing for a moment.

From The Book of Dragons by Fell, H. Granville

"Here it is," said Edmund, and the cockatrice woke up at once and asked the drakling very politely to sit down and wait.

From The Book of Dragons by Fell, H. Granville

And the cockatrice drew the fire up close around his shoulders, tucked himself up in it, and went to sleep.

From The Book of Dragons by Fell, H. Granville

Shakspeare, for example, uses Lucrece and cockatrice as genitives.

From Notes and Queries, Number 203, September 17, 1853 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George

"Matilda, my own dearest girl," he said, "now that that cockatrice has departed, tell me, you don't doubt your Leander, do you?"

From The Tinted Venus A Farcical Romance by Partridge, Bernard