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

A Ventura County woman is the second hiker to die from a rattlesnake bite on a Southern California trail during an unusually active period of snake attacks and warm weather.

From Los Angeles Times

A Ventura County woman has become the second to die recently from a rattlesnake bite on a Southern California hiking trail during an unusually active period of snake attacks and unseasonably warm weather.

From Los Angeles Times

The snake appeared to be a Mojave rattlesnake, often called a “Mojave green,” known to inhabit areas of the Antelope Valley, which is part of the Western Mojave Desert.

From Los Angeles Times

Death by rattlesnake bite remains rare in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times

Night wind rose in the rustling corn with a rattlesnake sound.

From Literature