green snake
- noun
- /ɡrin sneɪk/
- US
:
serpiente verde
- The green snake feeds mainly on insects and spiders found in its habitat.
Examples
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We spotted a green snake slithering through the tall grass near the riverbank.
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Children were fascinated by the bright color of the green snake at the nature center.
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Look out for a green snake!
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I saw a green snake!
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The green snake can often be seen resting on branches, waiting for insects to pass by.
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While hiking, we came across a green snake basking in the sun on a rock.
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In the garden, the green snake quickly caught a grasshopper that jumped too close.
Synonyms
A group of small bright green snakes that includes the smooth and rough types in North America
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a snake that is green' is directly and transparently derived from combining the adjective 'green' (a color) with the noun 'snake' (a reptile). This simple adjective–noun composition is cross-linguistically common and involves no idiomatic or metaphorical shift, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand the MWE.
Etymology
The name green snake comes from the clear image of a snake with bright green scales that lives in grass and eats insects. That's why green snake today means those small North American snakes that are usually green and not poisonous.
