Illustration of rattlesnake
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈra-tᵊl-ˌsnāk 
: any of several American pit vipers (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) that have horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when shaken
Examples of rattlesnake in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pygmy rattlesnakes are found near water and sometimes in rocky uplands, pine woods and glades, according to the TWRA.
—
Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
While handling a group of baby rattlesnakes, a video shows a North Carolina rescue team using tongs, a tube and other equipment.
—Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2025
If there was a six-foot gopher snake roaming the property, why not a rattlesnake, too?
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
Animal control officers say the rattlesnake was secured in a glass enclosure, but the two cobras had been inside plastic totes, which were knocked over, spilling them onto the floor, Beckman said.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
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Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
While handling a group of baby rattlesnakes, a video shows a North Carolina rescue team using tongs, a tube and other equipment.
—Simone Jasper, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2025
If there was a six-foot gopher snake roaming the property, why not a rattlesnake, too?
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
Animal control officers say the rattlesnake was secured in a glass enclosure, but the two cobras had been inside plastic totes, which were knocked over, spilling them onto the floor, Beckman said.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rattlesnake
Cite this Entry
“Rattlesnake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rattlesnake. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk
: any of various poisonous American snakes with a rattle at the end of the tail
Medical Definition
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk
: any of the American pit vipers that have a series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when vibrated and that comprise the genera Sistrurus and Crotalus see diamondback rattlesnake, tiger rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake
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