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Glite Dictionary
milk snake

milk snake

5.1
A harmless North American snake with red, black, and white bands that looks like a coral snake
  • noun
  • /mɪlk sneɪk/
  • US
translation icon : serpiente de leche
  • A milk snake can be identified by its striking pattern of red, black, and white or yellow bands.
  • Mexican milk snake

You know, he's out here making milk snake skin sandals for deaf children or whatever.

Examples

  • You know, he's out here making milk snake skin sandals for deaf children or whatever.

    Theo Von

  • " That's no milk snake.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Um, well, this is actually a milk snake.

    Extinction (2014)

  • It was just a little milk snake.

    Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)

  • It was a snake—a harmless milk snake—but large and impressive as it coiled itself hastily into a semblance of death.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The milk snake is often mistaken for the venomous coral snake due to its similar coloring.

  • Many people are surprised to learn that the milk snake is nonvenomous despite its resemblance to other harmful species.

Synonyms

king snake
vsmilk snake
  • US
1 5.8

A North American snake that does not have venom and often eats other snakes and small animals

refers to the specific banded type that often mimics coral snakes
Lampropeltis triangulum
vsmilk snake
  • Specialized
9.9

A snake from North and Central America that is not venomous and has bright bands like coral snakes

is found only in North America rather than Central America
milk adder
vsmilk snake
  • US
9.9

A harmless tan and brown snake often with red stripes and an arrow spot on its head

shows distinct red black and white or yellow banding instead of tan brown patterns
Lampropeltis
vsmilk snake
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of snakes from the Americas that are not poisonous, like king and milk snakes

is a single North American banded species within that broader genus

Surface Forms

milk snake singular
milk snakes plural

Morphology

milk + snake

The compound follows a common noun+noun pattern so a B1 learner who knows 'milk' and 'snake' will infer it denotes a kind of snake, which is partially transparent. However, the specific sense (a particular nonvenomous species that mimics the coral snake) and the reason for 'milk' in the name are historical/lexicalized and not predictable from the constituents, so full understanding requires prior exposure.

Etymology

Milk snake comes from old farm stories: people often found these banded snakes near barns and thought they came 'to drink milk', so they started calling them milk snakes. That's why the name stuck, and today 'milk snake' means a harmless, colorful snake that can sometimes look like the dangerous coral snake.