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

Illustration of rattlesnake

Examples of rattlesnake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most rattlesnake bites in California take place between April and October, when humans and snakes are both more active, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2025

As luck would have it, Charlie had been given an antivenin shot just two days before he got bitten by the rattlesnake. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025

The hypothetical rattlesnake in the ivy on Franklin Avenue. —Joan Didion, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025

However, the researchers also note the prevalence of the two species that together accounted for more than 50% of the bites – pygmy rattlesnakes and cottonmouths. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rattlesnake

• diamondback rattlesnake
• rattlesnake master
• rattlesnake plantain
• rattlesnake root
• rattlesnake weed
• timber rattlesnake

Rhymes for rattlesnake

• overtake
• shiitake
• undertake
• wapentake
• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik
• crake

Kids 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