water moccasin

noun

1. the cottonmouth.
2. any of various similar but harmless snakes, as a water snake of the genus Nerodia.

water moccasin

noun

1. a large dark grey venomous snake, Agkistrodon piscivorus, of swamps in the southern US: family Crotalidae (pit vipers) Also calledcottonmouth

Word History and Origins

Origin of water moccasin¹

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25

Example Sentences

Richard Viguerie, the direct-mail pioneer, says that tactic is like a water moccasin, silent but deadly.

From Washington Post

"But I thought you said it was a water moccasin," I objected.

From Project Gutenberg

The water-moccasin is about two feet in length, and has a circumference of five or six inches.

From Project Gutenberg

The Water Moccasin is dull olive with wide black transverse bands.

From Project Gutenberg

This upland moccasin is named in science Ancistrodon contortrix; its brother species, the water moccasin, is A. piscivorus.

From Project Gutenberg

Circumstantial evidence indicated that it was killed by the bite of a water moccasin.

From Project Gutenberg