rattlesnake

American  

[rat-l-sneyk] / ˈræt lˌsneɪk /

noun

1. any of several New World pit vipers of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, having a rattle composed of a series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail.

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rattlesnake British  

/ ˈrætəlˌsneɪk /

noun

1. any of the venomous New World snakes constituting the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus , such as C. horridus ( black or timber rattlesnake ): family Crotalidae (pit vipers). They have a series of loose horny segments on the tail that are vibrated to produce a buzzing or whirring sound

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Etymology

Origin of rattlesnake

An Americanism dating back to 1620–30; rattle ¹ + snake

Compare meaning

How does rattlesnake compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• roadrunner vs. rattlesnake

Example Sentences

After that, we visited the newly installed Ricardo Breceda rattlesnake and roadrunner metal sculptures.

From Los Angeles Times

We talk often in the outdoors community about the risks that wild animals, like bears, mountain lions and rattlesnakes, pose.

From Los Angeles Times

While it’s all well and good to laud Mamdani’s extraordinary political talents and inspiring leadership for social justice, at the same time we should recognize that he has entered into an embrace with a rattlesnake.

From Salon

But when it comes time to arrest the culprit, Judy learns the rattlesnake -- Gary -- is simply trying to uncover a secret to restore his family's honor.

From Barron's

Teams at FCFRP-USP and partner institutions have long worked to clone and express bioactive molecules, including proteins from rattlesnake and scorpion venom.

From Science Daily