serpent

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Definitions (30)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (7)

  1. noun A reptile of the order Serpentes; a snake.
  2. noun In the Bible, the creature that tempted Eve.
  3. noun Satan.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (17)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

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Examples (50)

  • I jerked about, nextmost to her—a serpent was among us, loping from out the lock. —  Port Eternity
  • To Conan the serpent was the least horror of them; he almost felt a kinship with it when he remembered the weeping, tittering obscenity, and the dripping, mouthing thing that came out of the well. —  Conan -- The Stories from Weird Tales (1932-1936)
  • Should any trouble come, we will then conclude that the serpent is a true god; and I will, in that case, get two other images made, and putting them in the place of the two broken ones, they shall be consecrated and receive regular worship." —  Old Daniel
  • The sea serpent was also an article of our faith In the rocks at the end of our garden there was a shingly opening, in which we used to bathe, and where at low tide I frequently waded among masses of rock covered with sea-weeds. —  Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville
  • This cave, being generally considered to be one of the avenues to the kingdom of Pluto, the poets thence derived the notion that this serpent was the guardian of its portals. —  The Metamorphoses of Ovid Vol. I, Books I-VII
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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French, from Latin serpēns, serpent-, from present participle of serpere, to creep.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Orig. adjective, but in English first used as a noun; also formerly and dial. sarpent; from Middle English serpent, from Old French serpent, sarpent, French serpent, dial, sarpent, sarpan, a serpent, snake, a musical instrument so called, = Provencal sarpent = Spanish serpiente = Portuguese Italian serpente, a serpent, from Latin serpen (t -) s, creeping, as a noun a creeping thing, a serpent (also applied to a louse), present participle of serpere, creep, = Greek ἔρπειν, creep, = Sanskrit √ sarp, creep (later sarpa, a snake); usually identified also with L. repere, creep (see repent, reptile), the √ sarp being perhaps seen also in English salve: see salve.
  2. from Old French serpenter, crawl like a serpent, wriggle (= Italian serpentare, importune, tease), from serpent, a serpent: see serpent, n.
 

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/ˈsərpənt/
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