basilisk

1 of 2

noun

bas·i·lisk ˈba-sə-ˌlisk

ˈba-zə-

: a legendary reptile with fatal breath and glance

: any of several crested tropical American lizards (genus Basiliscus of the family Iguanidae) related to the iguanas and noted for their ability to run on their hind legs

basilisk

2 of 2

adjective

: suggesting a basilisk : baleful, spellbinding

the eyes … with all their blaze of basilisk horror—

Bram Stoker

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.

Examples of basilisk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

How ought one truss the chicken half of a half-chicken, half-snake basilisk? —

Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024 Its circular outline encloses the shape of a mythical creature: the basilisk. —

Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024 Experts said the badge depicts a basilisk dragon, which in ancient times was a mythological monster-like serpent known to kill its prey with just a look or a breath. —

Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Berry’s public image showcased a winning smile and a winking eye, whereas most reports of backstage meetings tended to emphasize a forbidding scowl and basilisk stare. —

Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 4 May 2023 The common basilisk lizard is known as the Jesus Christ lizard for its astounding ability to literally run on water. —

Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2010 Anti-lovebirds can choose to have the mealworms or crickets fed to a tawny frogmouth, spotted turtle, basilisk, cotton-top tamarin or black-tufted marmoset, wrote The Salisbury Daily Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. —

Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2023 Animals like pond-skaters and the basilisk lizard can walk on water by relying on surface tension—the tendency of the surface of water to resist an external force. —

Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 3 Dec. 2012 The blood of a basilisk, a black tick taken from the left ear of a cat, a stone bitten by a mad dog, the right eye of a live serpent—such are some of the charms or medicines. —

Robert Shackleton, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basilisk.' 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

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Latin basiliscus "kind of snake," borrowed from Greek basilískos "minor prince, kind of snake (presumably possessing a crown-like crest)," from basil-, base of basileús "king, prince" (of pre-Greek substratal origin) + -iskos, diminutive suffix

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of basilisk was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century