snake feeder
- noun
- US
:
libélula
- A bright blue snake feeder hovered just above the tall grass by the river.
Examples
-
The snake feeder flitted gracefully over the pond.
-
Many snake feeders can be seen near marshy areas.
-
Children often call a snake feeder a dragonfly because of its swift flight near ponds.
-
In some places, people believe seeing a snake feeder means a snake is nearby.
-
A bright blue snake feeder hovered just above the tall grass by the river.
-
Children often call a snake feeder a dragonfly because of its swift flight near ponds.
-
Many snake feeders can be seen near marshy areas.
Synonyms
15
1.4
A fast insect with a long thin body and two pairs of clear wings held out when resting
1
6.8
A large slender insect with shiny wings that eats mosquitoes
A long, thin insect with bright, shiny wings that eats mosquitoes
A slender insect with bright shiny wings that eats mosquitoes and small insects
A slender flying insect with long body and clear wings often found near water
A long thin insect with bright wings that eats mosquitoes and does not sting
Surface Forms
Morphology
snake + feeder
The literal constituents 'snake' + 'feeder' would most likely be interpreted as 'one that feeds snakes' or 'feeds on snakes,' which does not correspond to the listed meaning (a dragonfly that eats mosquitoes). The name is a regional lexicalized label with no transparent compositional link to the insect's properties, so a B1 learner knowing the parts would not predict the meaning.
Etymology
The name snake feeder may come from people who often saw the bright, slender insect hunting above the water where snakes lived. Seeing it near snakes led people to call it a snake feeder, so the phrase came to mean 'dragonfly'.