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  

/ ˈkɒkətrɪs, -ˌtraɪs /

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cockatrice

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 George Bell

He respected the cockatrice very much from that moment, and set off at once to do exactly as he was told—for perhaps the first time in his life.

From The Book of Dragons by H. Granville Fell

And he never once interrupted the cockatrice to ask why.

From The Book of Dragons by H. Granville Fell

"Ha!" said the Prince; "thou—a cockatrice to betray me!"

From Traditions of Lancashire, Volume 2 by John Roby

He told the boys at school about the cockatrice and his wonderful true tales, and the boys liked the stories; but when he told the master he was caned for untruthfulness.

From The Book of Dragons by H. Granville Fell

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