serpent

noun

ser·​pent ˈsər-pənt 

1

a

archaic : a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings

b

: snake

2

: devil sense 1

3

: a treacherous person

Synonyms

• snake
• viper

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

Think animal jewelry — bridles, straps and other harness parts adorned with eagle heads, rosettes, griffins, busts of Herakles, serpents and lions, often shaped from gold. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025

Other discoveries from the site include a gold pendant inscribed with a serpent or dragon, with further details set to feature in the upcoming series Digging for Britain, set to premiere on January 7 in the U.K on Two. —Flynn Nicholls, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024

Her husband imposed martial law for her, and she’s been accused of using black magic to help him—but is Kim Keon-hee more innocent flower than serpent? —airmail.news, 21 Dec. 2024

Gold and diamond Le Vian earrings, as well as jeweled serpent cocktail rings, completed Cardi’s look. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin serpent-, serpens, from present participle of serpere to creep; akin to Greek herpein to creep, Sanskrit sarpati he creeps

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing serpent

• sea serpent

Kids Definition

serpent

noun

ser·​pent ˈsər-pənt 

: a usually large snake