common garter snake
1
3.5
- noun
- /ˈkɑːmən ˈɡɑːrtər sneɪk/
- US
:
serpiente de liga común
- In spring, the common garter snake emerges from hibernation in search of food and warmth.
Examples
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Many gardeners appreciate the presence of a common garter snake since it helps control pests in their gardens.
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Lucky for you, the bite of a common garter snake is non-lethal.
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The common garter snake can often be seen basking in the sun near lakes and streams.
Synonyms
4
3.8
A common North and Central American snake that is not venomous and has long stripes
A common garter snake with stripes that lives near ponds and streams
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun phrase where 'snake' names the category and 'garter' specifies the type, while 'common' indicates it is widespread; together the meaning 'a widespread type of snake' is directly compositional. Although 'garter' as an individual word may be less frequent, if a learner knows all constituent words the species name is predictable and follows common noun-compound patterns across languages.
Etymology
Common garter snake may come from early settlers who thought the snake's thin, striped pattern looked like a garter, a ribbon or band used to hold up stockings. That's why the name fits: 'common' means found in many places and garter shows the snake's banded, ribbon-like stripes today.