serpentine

¹ American  

[sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn] / ˈsɜr pənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement.

2. having a winding course, as a road; sinuous.

   Synonyms:

   tortuous, twisting

3. shrewd, wily, or cunning.

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noun

1. a device on a harquebus lock for holding the match.

2. a cannon having any of various bore sizes, used from the 15th to the 17th century.

3. Skating. a school figure made by skating two figure eights that share one loop.

verb (used without object)

serpentined, serpentining

1. to make or follow a winding course.

   The stream serpentines through the valley.

serpentine ² American  

[sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn] / ˈsɜr pənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn /

noun

1. a common mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, H 2 Mg 3 Si 2 O 2 , usually oily green and sometimes spotted, occurring in many varieties: used for architectural and decorative purposes.

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serpentine ¹ British  

/ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn /

noun

1. a dark green or brown mineral with a greasy or silky lustre, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is used as an ornamental stone; and one variety (chrysotile) is known as asbestos. Composition: hydrated magnesium silicate. Formula: Mg 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 . Crystal structure: monoclinic

2. any of a group of minerals having the general formula (Mg,Fe) 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4

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serpentine ² British  

/ ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a serpent

2. twisting; winding

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noun

1. maths a curve that is symmetric about the origin of and asymptotic to the x -axis

serpentine Scientific  

/ sûr′pən-tēn′,-tīn′ /

1. Any of a group of greenish, brownish, or yellowish monoclinic minerals, occurring in igneous or metamorphic rocks. They are used as a source of magnesium and asbestos. Chemical formula: (Mg,Fe) ₃ Si ₂ O ₅ (OH) ₄ .

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Etymology

Origin of serpentine¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (adjective) from Old French serpentin, serpentine and Latin serpentīnus “snakelike”; Serpens, -ine ¹ ( def. )

Origin of serpentine¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English serpentin(e), from Old French serpentine and Medieval Latin serpentīnum (neuter) and serpentīna (feminine), noun use of neuter of serpentīnus serpentine ¹

Example Sentences

The advance is sometimes serpentine, which is why market volatility should be considered something to monetize—or mostly ignore.

From Barron's

With that as the framework from which “House of Ashur” operates, Tarabay understands the eternal allure of the gladiator as opposed to the serpentine psychological maneuvering of Roman senators.

From Salon

His serpentine plot flows to a natural yet shocking conclusion.

From The Wall Street Journal

The train’s silent, serpentine progress gave them a line to follow.

From Literature

The stone, set in a serpentine ring, once belonged to Rachel Lambert Mellon, better known as Bunny Mellon, a US horticulturalist, philanthropist and art collector.

From Barron's

Related Words

• artful
• circuitous
• convoluted
• curved
• meandering
• sinuous
• twisting