snake

1 of 2

noun

1
: any of numerous limbless scaled reptiles (suborder Serpentes synonym Ophidia) with a long tapering body and with salivary glands often modified to produce venom which is injected through grooved or tubular fangs
2
: a worthless or treacherous fellow
3
: something (such as a plumber's snake) resembling a snake
snakelike adjective

snake

2 of 2

verb

snaked; snaking

transitive verb

1
: to wind (one's way, one's body in crawling, etc.) in the manner of a snake
2
: to move (something, such as logs) by dragging

intransitive verb

: to crawl, move, or extend silently, secretly, or sinuously

Examples of snake in a Sentence

Noun I thought she was my friend, but she turned out to be a snake in the grass. snakes are cold-blooded, so they regulate their body temperature by alternately basking in sunlight and seeking shade Verb The road snakes through the mountains. Cables snaked across the floor. Technicians snaked cables through the set. He snaked his way through the crowd.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Tennessee's most venomous snake is the cottonmouth, or water moccasin. Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025 In December 2024, Rudd and Black first teased the movie, which is a reimagining of Jennifer Lopez’s 1997 killer snake horror flick Anaconda, in a sweet video from set. Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
Every Major League Baseball team craves depth, and on Thursday, the Atlanta Braves were able to snake some from a National League rival. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 The district snakes through southeast Texas from the border near Hidalgo − through Pulido's native Edinburg − and northward up around Corpus Christi, where the Tejano singer Selena has her roots. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for snake

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English snaca; akin to Old Norse snakr snake, Old High German snahhan to crawl

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1653, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of snake was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snake. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

snake

1 of 2 noun
1
: any of numerous limbless reptiles that have a long body and salivary glands often capable of producing venom which is injected through fangs
2
: a mean or treacherous person
snakelike adjective

snake

2 of 2 verb
snaked; snaking
: to crawl, wind, or move like a snake

Medical Definition

snake

noun
: any of numerous limbless scaled reptiles (suborder Serpentes synonym Ophidia) with a long tapering body and with salivary glands often modified to produce venom which is injected through grooved or tubular fangs

Geographical Definition

Snake

geographical name

river 1038 miles (1670 kilometers) long in the northwestern U.S. flowing from northwestern Wyoming across southern Idaho and into the Columbia River in Washington

More from Merriam-Webster on snake

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