sidewinder

American  

[sahyd-wahyn-der] / ˈsaɪdˌwaɪn dər /

noun

1. a severe swinging blow from the side.

2. a rattlesnake, Crotalus cerastes, of southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, that has a hornlike projection over each eye and that moves in loose sand by raising loops on the body and displacing them sideways.

3. any Old World snake that moves by sidewinding, as various species of Bitis and Cerastes.

4. (initial capital letter) an air-to-air, supersonic weapon that intercepts and destroys enemy aircraft using an infrared homing-guidance system.

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sidewinder British  

/ ˈsaɪdˌwaɪndə /

noun

1. a North American rattlesnake, Crotalus cerastes, that moves forwards by a sideways looping motion

2. boxing a heavy swinging blow from the side

3. a US air-to-air missile using infrared homing aids in seeking its target

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Etymology

Origin of sidewinder

First recorded in 1830–40; side ¹ + winder

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sidewinder

Common rattlesnakes in California include the Mojave, northern Pacific, red, sidewinder, speckled, and western diamondback rattlesnakes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026

The weapons package was an existing request by Ankara, and includes AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air and sidewinder missiles, as well as hardware and software updates for F-16 fighter jets, sources said.

From Reuters ● May 11, 2022

The second was similarly productive with Woods turning the downhill sidewinder into a par 4 1/2 during that span, gaining a stroke a tournament on the field.

From Golf Digest ● Apr. 4, 2019

A sidewinder waits for its dinner: It sits in ambush until a kangaroo rat happens to come hopping by, and then it has a banquet.

From New York Times ● May 17, 2017

Behind that sign is a dark river that winds its way into the distance like a massive sidewinder.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer