rattlesnake

American  

[rat-l-snayk] / ˈræt lˌsneɪk /

noun

• rattlesnakes
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rattlesnakes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of rattlesnake

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

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Compare meaning

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

• roadrunner vs. rattlesnake

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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

See Examples For:

rattlesnake rattlesnakes

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

In laboratory experiments, optimized combinations of the proteins were about 10 times more potent than the current sheep-derived rattlesnake antivenom.

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

Rattlesnake season is well underway in California, typically extending from April to October, and reports of rattlesnake bites are up this season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Tyson carried out many other famous dissections, including a rattlesnake and an ostrich.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

They did not find any drugs, but vipers, rattlesnakes and other species of snakes and lizards, including iguanas, hidden in shampoo and cream bottles, plastic containers and balls of socks.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026

Experts say unseasonably warm weather patterns at the beginning of the year have driven rattlesnakes out of their winter retreats ahead of rattlesnake season in search of food and mates.

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

The study also disproves the widely repeated claim that baby rattlesnakes cannot control how much venom they release and therefore inject all of it when they bite.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

Out on the lake, rattlesnakes and scorpions find shade under rocks and in the holes dug by the campers.

From "Holes" by Louis Sachar

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