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serpentine

1
[ sur-puhn-teen, -tahyn ]
/ ˈsɜr pənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR serpentine ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of, characteristic of, or resembling a serpent, as in form or movement.
having a winding course, as a road; sinuous.
shrewd, wily, or cunning.

noun

verb (used without object), ser·pen·tined, ser·pen·tin·ing.

to make or follow a winding course: The stream serpentines through the valley.

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Are you the Cinderella of this week’s quiz? Test your memory on the words and definitions from March 23–29.
Question 1 of 7
schlep
to say or do hesitantly or awkwardly
to fold or wind around something
to carry; lug
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Origin of serpentine

1
1350–1400; Middle English (adj.) < Latin serpentīnus snakelike, equivalent to serpent- serpent + -īnus ine1

Words nearby serpentine

serpent, serpent bearer, serpent star, serpentarium, serpentiform, serpentine, serpentine front, serpentine jade, serpentine stretcher, serpentinite, serpentinize

Definition for serpentine (2 of 2)

serpentine2
[ sur-puh n-teen, -tahyn ]
/ ˈsɜr pənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn /

noun

a common mineral, hydrous magnesium silicate, H2Mg3Si2O2, usually oily green and sometimes spotted, occurring in many varieties: used for architectural and decorative purposes.

Origin of serpentine

2
1350–1400; Middle English serpentyn < Medieval Latin serpentīnum, noun use. of neuter of serpentīnus serpentine1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to serpentine

meandering, sinuous, artful, convoluted, curved, circuitous, twisting, cagey, clever, crafty, cunning, foxy, indirect, shrewd, slick, slinky, snaky, subtle, supple, wily

Example sentences from the Web for serpentine

British Dictionary definitions for serpentine (1 of 2)

serpentine1
/ (ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn) /

adjective

of, relating to, or resembling a serpent
twisting; winding

noun

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

Word Origin for serpentine

C14: from Late Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns serpent

British Dictionary definitions for serpentine (2 of 2)

serpentine2
/ (ˈsɜːpənˌtaɪn) /

noun

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

Word Origin for serpentine

C15 serpentyn, from Medieval Latin serpentīnum serpentine 1; referring to the snakelike patterns of these minerals
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for serpentine

serpentine
[ sûr′pən-tēn′, -tīn′ ]

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)3Si2O5(OH)4.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.