rattlesnake

noun

rat·​tle·​snake ˈra-tᵊl-ˌsnāk How to pronounce rattlesnake (audio)
: any of several American pit vipers (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) that have horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when shaken

Illustration of rattlesnake

Illustration of rattlesnake

Examples of rattlesnake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This is our record for the most rattlesnakes caught in one call! CBS News, 15 Sep. 2023 Expect to share the path, rough and rocky at times, with trail runners and the occasional reptile from rattlesnakes to gila monsters. Jeff Ficker, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2023 To measure how snakes respond to stress, the researchers attached heart rate monitors to 25 adult southern Pacific rattlesnakes caught in the wild in Southern California. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 July 2023 Homeowner Christie Jones said her 12-year-old daughter Kyler had walked out of the front door just 20 minutes before the prairie rattlesnake was seen lurking in the same area. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2023 The team found that when the rattlesnakes were exposed to stress, the presence of a snake companion significantly changed the heartbeat of both snakes. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 6 July 2023 The series of holdups and assaults increases an already dangerous journey for migrants who often face some combination of extreme heat or bitter cold, a lack of food and water, rugged mountain terrain, rattlesnakes, cacti and other dangers. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2023 As their various names suggest, the worms thrash and snap their bodies intensely like a rattlesnake when touched or held, can spring into the air and even shed their tail to escape, PBS Wisconsin reports. Doc Louallen, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023 With only 2 miles to my next water source, I was rattled by a rattlesnake in the middle of a field of tall desert grasses. Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rattlesnake was in 1624

Dictionary Entries Near rattlesnake

Cite this Entry

“Rattlesnake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rattlesnake. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

rattlesnake

noun
rat·​tle·​snake ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk How to pronounce rattlesnake (audio)
: any of various poisonous American snakes with a rattle at the end of the tail

Medical Definition

rattlesnake

noun
rat·​tle·​snake ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk How to pronounce rattlesnake (audio)
: any of the American pit vipers that have a series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when vibrated and that comprise the genera Sistrurus and Crotalus see diamondback rattlesnake, tiger rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake
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