1
a
archaic
: a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings
b
: snake
2
3
: a treacherous person
Examples of serpent in a Sentence
an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl
beware the temptations of the serpent
Recent Examples on the Web
Similarly, the warmer temperatures have compelled outdoor enthusiasts to hit the trails, increasing the odds of a run-in with the serpents.
—
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The piece, after all, takes a page from the slithering, scaly serpent — being chunky, well-built, highly textural, and fluid.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2026
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
At the Mayan site Chichen Itza in Mexico, people gather during the equinox to watch the sun create a shadow pattern that resembles a serpent descending a pyramid called El Castillo.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serpent
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Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The piece, after all, takes a page from the slithering, scaly serpent — being chunky, well-built, highly textural, and fluid.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2026
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
At the Mayan site Chichen Itza in Mexico, people gather during the equinox to watch the sun create a shadow pattern that resembles a serpent descending a pyramid called El Castillo.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serpent
Cite this Entry
“Serpent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serpent. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
serpent
noun
ser·pent
ˈsər-pənt 
: a usually large snake
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