serpent
serpent — noun
1. a long, thin reptile that has no legs and moves by sliding its body along the gr
a long, thin reptile that has no legs and moves by sliding its body along the ground
Salma saw a green serpent slither across the path during her hike.
collocation: slither across [surface]
A small, dark serpent lay coiled under the rocks near the riverbank.
The old farmer warned us that serpents often hide in tall grass.
Be careful — a brightly coloured serpent might be venomous.
- snake
everyday word; serpent is more formal and literary
用法筆記
Serpent is a more formal or literary word than snake. In everyday conversation, snake is the usual choice.
常見錯誤
2. a very large snake, often one that appears in ancient stories, myths, or religio
a very large snake, often one that appears in ancient stories, myths, or religious texts
In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a monstrous serpent with many heads.
mythological context: Hydra / monstrous serpent
The legend tells of a giant serpent that guarded a hidden temple.
Marco said he saw a serpent as thick as a tree trunk in the jungle.
An ancient carving showed a coiled serpent wrapped around a warrior's arm.
Wren's grandmother told her a story about a sea serpent that caused storms.
- dragon
a mythical creature with legs and wings; not a true synonym but overlaps in legendary contexts
用法筆記
Common in descriptions of mythology, religious texts (especially the serpent in the Book of Genesis), and fantasy literature. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always implies unusual size or legendary status.