rattlesnake
Americannoun
-
rattlesnakes
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of rattlesnake
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How does rattlesnake compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The mixtures completely neutralized the lethal effects of rattlesnake venom and also provided broad protection against venom from multiple viper species, including species separated by millions of years of evolution.
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
This year, there have been 277 rattlesnake bites reported in California, along with multiple deaths.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
At twelve he was bitten by a rattlesnake, went into a coma, survived.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Anderson said he’s observed more rattlesnakes on the sanctuary property in the last several years, especially this year.
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
After reviewing the history and spread of the myth, researchers concluded that bites from adult rattlesnakes are generally more dangerous because adults carry and inject much larger amounts of venom.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
"We hypothesize that certain species with poorer general population health, specifically rattlesnakes with historic and current increased risks of human persecution, are likely more susceptible to infection with subsequent disease," said Mishin.
From Science Daily ● May 26, 2026
He stared down at them like they were a tangle of rattlesnakes.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
