Western ribbon snake
- noun
- /ˈwɛstərn ˈrɪbən sneɪk/
- US
:
serpiente cinta occidental
- The Western ribbon snake is often found near streams and ponds.
Examples
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Unlike other snakes in the region, the Western ribbon snake is harmless to humans.
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I spotted a Western ribbon snake slithering through the tall grass in Texas.
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Look at that Western ribbon snake!
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I saw a Western ribbon snake today.
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I spotted a Western ribbon snake slithering through the tall grass in Texas.
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The Western ribbon snake is often found near streams and ponds.
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Unlike other snakes in the region, the Western ribbon snake is harmless to humans.
Synonyms
4
3.8
A common North and Central American snake that is not venomous and has long stripes
A harmless snake with yellow or red stripes often found near ponds and streams
A thin North American snake with a yellow stripe often near water
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term is fully compositional: 'ribbon snake' describes a snake with ribbon-like stripes and 'western' marks its geographic variety. This modifier+noun pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Western ribbon snake comes from its look: a very thin snake with long, bright stripes that run along its body and look like a ribbon. The word Western shows where it lives, so the name helps you remember it is a thin, striped snake from the 'west' that is usually 'harmless' to people.