serpentine

1 of 3

adjective

ser·​pen·​tine ˈsər-pən-ˌtēn How to pronounce serpentine (audio)
-ˌtīn
1
: of or resembling a serpent (as in form or movement)
2
: subtly wily or tempting
3
a
: winding or turning one way and another
a serpentine road
b
: having a compound curve whose central curve is convex
serpentinely adverb

serpentine

2 of 3

noun (1)

: something that winds sinuously

serpentine

3 of 3

noun (2)

ser·​pen·​tine ˈsər-pən-ˌtēn How to pronounce serpentine (audio)
: a mineral or rock consisting essentially of a hydrous magnesium silicate usually having a dull green color and often a mottled appearance

Did you know?

A snake moves by curving and winding along the ground. Roads through the Pyrenees, the mountains that separate Spain from France, tend to be serpentine, curving back and forth on themselves up and down the steep slopes. Serpentine has other meanings as well. As a noun, it's the name for a soft green mineral, and also for the party streamers you might throw at midnight on New Year's Eve. The serpentine belt under the hood in your car is the long, looping belt that most of the car's accessories—the AC, the power steering, the alternator, and so on—depend on to get their power.

Examples of serpentine in a Sentence

Adjective the country inn lies at the end of a rather serpentine road, but it's worth the trip
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Both varieties of artwork simulate depth by making serpentine bands appear to lap over and under each other. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Image Never left: Notes on leaving but forever remaining present (PART II: L.A.) Aug. 16, 2023 Through a series of serpentine encounters, touring from New York City to Houston to L.A., with the COVID-19 pandemic as its backdrop, the book addresses millennial angst and its many challenges. Jason Parham, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The Jinx is a wild, serpentine investigation into the deadly drive of a neurotic real estate heir who is riddled with delusions but can’t avoid the truth. Eric Farwell, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2023 Later Marley, despite the disapproval of his devoutly Christian mother, began to let his hair grow into serpentine dreadlocks in obedience to the Bible, which forbids males from touching scissors or comb to hair. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024 The serpentine object, which dates back some 4,000 years, was discovered last year in Taoyuan City, about 30 miles west of Taipei, according to a Feb. 9 news release from the National Tsing Hua University’s archaeology department. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2024 Designs have a subtle, serpentine beauty and allow for plenty of skin to make the total look. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 10 Feb. 2024 For most of us, the thought of sliding across a patch of ice—at speed—while behind the wheel is fodder for nightmares, ranking right up there with brake failure on a serpentine descent. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2024 While extensive research has delved into serpentine locomotion, there remains a gap in exploring rectilinear locomotion as a robotic solution for navigating through narrow spaces. IEEE Spectrum, 19 Jan. 2024
Noun
Here, offerings of precious milk are poured over the roots of sacred fig trees and into the serpentine Tura River. Chloe Berge, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2024 The references give the serpentine plot fresh meaning. Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023 And this association with snakes survived well into the Middle Ages, with medieval authors and artists stressing the animal's serpentine attributes. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023 It was made by artisans in Italy, featuring a remix on fine jewelry archetypes like the serpentine and the heart. Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2023 The activity recreates the repetitive practice of skating serpentines (three connected circles) and circle eights (two connected circles), school figures that give the works their titles. Briana Miller | , oregonlive, 11 Sep. 2023 Bangkok's main lifeline is the serpentine Chao Phraya River, and along its banks are some of the city's top luxury hotels, oldest neighborhoods, and biggest tourist attractions. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2023 The dining room area, for example, pairs a serpentine chandelier by Frederik Molenschot with a neon yellow painting by Tishan Hsu. Helena Madden, ELLE Decor, 1 Sep. 2023 Mermaids almost always appear as half human, half fish (or other aquatic/serpentine animals). Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'serpentine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French serpentin, from Late Latin serpentinus, from Latin serpent-, serpens

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French serpentin, Medieval Latin serpentina, serpentinum, from Late Latin, feminine & neuter of serpentinus resembling a serpent

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1519, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of serpentine was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near serpentine

Cite this Entry

“Serpentine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serpentine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

serpentine

adjective
ser·​pen·​tine
ˈsər-pən-ˌtēn,
-ˌtīn
1
: of or resembling a serpent
2
: winding or turning one way and another
a serpentine path through the woods

More from Merriam-Webster on serpentine

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