hognose snake
- noun
- /ˈhɔɡˌnoʊz sneɪk/
- US
:
serpiente nariz de cerdo
- The hognose snake is known for its distinctive upturned nose and unique defensive behaviors.
- the eastern hognose snake
Examples
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When threatened, the hognose snake often flattens its neck and plays dead to avoid predators.
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Generally more slender and uniformly black than those species, it lacks the upturned nose of hognose snakes and the keeled scales of hognose and rat snakes.
Blog text (12) -
In North America, the hognose snake can often be found in sandy areas where it searches for toads.
Synonyms
1
7.8
A small snake with an upturned nose that often plays dead and is usually harmless to people
A harmless North American snake with a nose that points up that spreads its head or plays dead when scared
A harmless North American snake with an upturned nose that flattens its head and sometimes plays dead when scared
A small North American snake with an upturned nose used for digging in sand
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: 'hognose' describes a hog-like/upturned snout and 'snake' names the reptile, so 'hognose snake' straightforwardly means a snake with that distinctive nose. This noun+noun descriptive compound follows a common English pattern and is easily inferable by a learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
The hognose snake is named for its turned-up nose that looks like a pig or hog snout. When it feels threatened it spreads its head or 'plays dead' to fool predators, so the name helps you remember this 'harmless' snake with a pig-like nose.