tiger snake

American

noun

either of two highly venomous snakes, Notechis scutatus and N. ater, of Australia and Tasmania, that grow to a length of 5 feet (1.5 meters).

tiger snake British

noun

a highly venomous brown-and-yellow elapid snake, Notechis scutatus, of Australia

"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

Etymology

Origin of tiger snake

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Melbourne Snake Control were called in to retrieve the animal, which was identified as a tiger snake, one of the world's most venomous reptiles.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2024

It was one video that did it – of snake handler Zach milking a tiger snake.

From The Guardian • Aug. 2, 2019

An Australian woman found an extra special ornament on her Christmas tree—a live tiger snake.

From Time • Dec. 19, 2016

I went upstairs to see if the door was unlocked or locked and there was a tiger snake sitting on the step.

From Reuters • Jan. 7, 2011

And down he came, the black snake coiled round one arm, the tiger snake round the other, and the death adder on his shoulder, coiled towards his neck.

From Australian Legendary Tales: folklore of the Noongahburrahs as told to the Piccaninnies by Parker, K. Langloh (Katie Langloh)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023