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Glite Dictionary
colubrid

colubrid

9.9
A type of snake that is usually not venomous and lives on land, in trees or in water
  • noun
  • /ˈkɒl.jʊ.brɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : colúbrido
  • Many colubrids are harmless and make popular pets among reptile enthusiasts.

Examples

  • The grass snake is a common colubrid found throughout Europe.

  • Scientists discovered a new species of aquatic colubrid in the wetlands.

  • The colubrid slithered through the grass.

  • Many colubrids are found in tropical regions.

  • Many colubrids are harmless and make popular pets among reptile enthusiasts.

  • The grass snake is a common colubrid found throughout Europe.

  • Scientists discovered a new species of aquatic colubrid in the wetlands.

Synonyms

snake
vscolubrid
427 1.0

A long animal without legs covered in scales that sometimes has poison

is a narrower term naming one family within that broader reptile category
serpent
vscolubrid
72 6.5

A large snake with scales that often appears in myths and stories

is a scientific family term used for actual species not the literary or mythical sense
colubrid snake
vscolubrid
  • Specialized
8.5

A mostly non-venomous snake that lives on land, in trees, or near water

is the single word form for that same family term

Compounds

colubrid snake
  • Specialized
8.5

A mostly non-venomous snake that lives on land, in trees, or near water

Surface Forms

colubrid singular
colubrids plural

Morphology

colubrid = Colubridae (opaque) = colubr + id

Formed by back-formation from the scientific family name (Colubridae); the root 'colubr-' and suffix '-id' are technical/Latin elements unfamiliar to typical learners.

Etymology

Colubrid comes from the old Latin word coluber, which means 'snake'. So a colubrid is simply a member of a large family of 'snakes', a helpful memory because the word is used for many common, mostly harmless species.