sidewinder
[ sahyd-wahyn-der ]
/ ˈsaɪdˌwaɪn dər /
noun
a severe swinging blow from the side.
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.
any Old World snake that moves by sidewinding, as various species of Bitis and Cerastes.
(initial capital letter) an air-to-air, supersonic weapon that intercepts and destroys enemy aircraft using an infrared homing-guidance system.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Words nearby sidewinder
sideways, sidewheel, sidewheeler, side whiskers, sidewind, sidewinder, side with, sídh, sidhe, Sidi-bel-Abbès, Sidi Ifni
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for sidewinder
British Dictionary definitions for sidewinder
sidewinder
/ (ˈsaɪdˌwaɪndə) /
noun
a North American rattlesnake, Crotalus cerastes, that moves forwards by a sideways looping motion
boxing, US a heavy swinging blow from the side
a US air-to-air missile using infrared homing aids in seeking its target
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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