gray rat snake

noun

plural gray rat snakes

: a large, heavy-bodied, nonvenomous rat snake (Pantherophis spiloides synonym Elaphe spiloides) of the eastern and central U.S. that is gray with brown to dark gray blotches on the back

Note: In an alternative classification system, the gray rat snake is not considered a separate species but rather included within other subspecies (Pantherophis obsoletus obsoletus and P. obsoletus spiloides) of a common rat snake.

compare eastern rat snake, western rat snake

Examples of gray rat snake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mallory Tate, a biologist with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, told WKRN that the markings on the reptile in the clip were consistent with a gray rat snake. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026

In Tennessee, the snakes were mostly identified as gray rat snakes. — Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gray rat snake

• overtake
• rattlesnake
• shiitake
• undertake
• wapentake
• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik