prairie rattlesnake

American  

noun

1. a rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis viridis, of the prairies of western North America.

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Etymology

Origin of prairie rattlesnake

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Example Sentences

Venom drips from the fangs of a prairie rattlesnake, one of more than 200,000 animals that produces such toxins.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 11, 2018

The muscular prairie rattlesnake coiled partly under a ledge, camouflaged by the surrounding sandstone.

From Washington Post • Oct. 1, 2015

It is not a pleasant feeling to wake up and find a three-foot prairie rattlesnake coiled up against one's stomach.

From Bring Me His Ears by Mulford, Clarence E.

Among the snakes are found the bull snake, the smooth green snake, the western striped racer, the rock snake, and the prairie rattlesnake.

From Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by United States. Dept. of the Interior

Now we know the effect of the bite of the prairie rattlesnake on the human system.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 586, March 26, 1887 by Various