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- copperhead 1
copperhead
noun
cop·per·head
ˈkä-pər-ˌhed 
plural copperheads
1
: a common pit viper (Agkistrodon contortrix) of the eastern and central U.S. usually having a copper-colored head and often a reddish-brown hourglass pattern on the body
2
disapproving
: a person in the northern states who sympathized with the South during the American Civil War
Examples of copperhead in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Venomous snakes—including the timber rattlesnake, the copperhead, and the cottonmouth—all make this area their home.
—
Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026
Wider portions of the shape can be seen on either side while more narrow portions cross the copperhead’s back and tailbone, experts say.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
After all, copperheads are the most common venomous snake in Texas, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Most people get bitten by copperheads, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency spokesperson Barry Cross told The Tennessean.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for copperhead
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Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026
Wider portions of the shape can be seen on either side while more narrow portions cross the copperhead’s back and tailbone, experts say.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
After all, copperheads are the most common venomous snake in Texas, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Most people get bitten by copperheads, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency spokesperson Barry Cross told The Tennessean.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for copperhead
Cite this Entry
“Copperhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copperhead. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
copperhead
noun
cop·per·head
ˈkäp-ər-ˌhed
1
: a common largely coppery brown poisonous snake of the pit viper family that occurs in the eastern and central U.S.
2
: a person in the northern states who sympathized with the South during the American Civil War
Medical Definition
copperhead
noun
cop·per·head
ˈkäp-ər-ˌhed
1
: a pit viper (Agkistrodon contortrix) widely distributed in upland areas of the eastern and central United States that typically attains a length of three feet (0.9 meter), is coppery brown above with dark transverse blotches, and is capable of inflicting a very painful but rarely fatal bite
2
: a very venomous but sluggish Australian elapid snake (Austrelaps superbus)
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