serpent

noun

ser·​pent ˈsər-pənt 

1

a

archaic : a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings

b

: snake

2

: devil sense 1

3

: a treacherous person

Synonyms of serpent

• snake
• viper

Examples of serpent in a Sentence

an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl

beware the temptations of the serpent

Recent Examples on the Web

And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns. —Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026

At the Mayan site Chichen Itza in Mexico, people gather during the equinox to watch the sun create a shadow pattern that resembles a serpent descending a pyramid called El Castillo. —ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026

If this animal sounds like a Burmese python, that’s because the serpent-like fish — known as Asian swamp eels — have a lot in common with the big, invasive constrictors. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026

Sightings of mythical creatures in Rhode Island are far and few between these days, but a giant serpent that supposedly once lived in the woods of present-day Coventry is the subject of enduring local lore. —Antonia Noori Farzan, The Providence Journal, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin serpent-, serpens, from present participle of serpere to creep; akin to Greek herpein to creep, Sanskrit sarpati he creeps

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing serpent

• sea serpent

Kids Definition

serpent

noun

ser·​pent ˈsər-pənt 

: a usually large snake