basilisk
6
9.9
- noun
- /ˈbæzɪlɪsk/
- Literature
- The scream might have turned the people to stone, as does, purportedly, the look of the legendary basilisk.
Examples
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The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk.
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"Basilisk" is a monster with fatal breath.
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Any creature that met the gaze of a basilisk died.
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"Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land, "none is more deadly than the basilisk.
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According to myth, anyone who looks into the eyes of a basilisk will instantly perish.
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In stories, the basilisk is often depicted as a serpent that can kill with a single glance.
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Legends say that the breath of a basilisk is so toxic that it can kill any creature nearby.
Synonyms
98
6.5
A large snake with scales that often appears in myths and stories
Surface Forms
Etymology
Basilisk comes from the Greek word basilískos meaning 'little king', and old stories called it a kingly snake whose look or breath could kill, which is why a basilisk in myth is a deadly serpent.