red-bellied snake
- noun
- /ˈrɛdˈbɛl.id sneɪk/
- US
:
serpiente de vientre rojo
- Many people are surprised to learn that the red-bellied snake is completely harmless to humans.
Examples
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Although shy and elusive, the red-bellied snake plays an important role in controlling insect populations.
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The red-bellied snake is often found under logs or leaf litter in wooded areas.
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I saw a red-bellied snake in my backyard.
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The red-bellied snake is harmless to humans.
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While hiking in the forest, I spotted a red-bellied snake slithering through the leaves.
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The red-bellied snake is often mistaken for other snakes due to its small size and coloration.
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Children were excited to see a red-bellied snake during their nature walk in the park.
Synonyms
427
1.0
A long animal without legs covered in scales that sometimes has poison
A small harmless woodland snake with a red belly found in the southeastern United States
Surface Forms
Morphology
red-bellied + snake
The compound is transparently descriptive: 'red-bellied' means 'having a red belly' (from 'red' + 'belly' with an adjectival -ed) and 'snake' is literal, so the phrase denotes a snake with a red belly. This follows common color+body-part adjective patterns in many languages and is non-idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Red-bellied snake gets its name from the bright red color on its belly that you can often see when the snake moves or is found under logs in the woods. So the name simply describes the animal's look and explains why people call this small 'harmless' snake a red-bellied snake.