Word of the Day

: February 26, 2009

basilisk

adjective BASS-uh-lisk

What It Means

: suggesting a legendary reptile with fatal breath and glance : baleful, spellbinding

basilisk in Context

Trina leveled a basilisk glare at me after I told her what had happened to her car.

Did You Know?

In Hellenic and Roman legend, a basilisk (also called a cockatrice) was a serpent-like creature capable of destroying other creatures by way of its deadly stare. The modern basilisk is a lizard that belongs to the family Iguanidae and supposedly resembles this fabled monster; it has a large, inflatable crest atop its head and is sometimes called a “Jesus Christ lizard” for its ability to run quickly across the surface of water. The use of “basilisk” as an adjective occurs most frequently in phrases such as “basilisk stare”; recalling the notorious gaze of the legendary basilisk, it describes the deep and piercing look of someone who is frightening or seductive.