eastern indigo snake
- noun
- /ˈiːstərn ˈɪndɪɡoʊ sneɪk/
- US
:
serpiente índigo del este
- The eastern indigo snake is the longest native snake species in North America.
Examples
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During the day, an eastern indigo snake may be seen basking near the edge of a forest.
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Biologists are working to conserve the declining population of eastern indigo snakes in Florida.
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The eastern indigo snake is a beautiful creature.
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Many people admire the eastern indigo snake for its color.
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Biologists are working to conserve the declining population of eastern indigo snakes in Florida.
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During the day, an eastern indigo snake may be seen basking near the edge of a forest.
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The eastern indigo snake is the longest native snake species in North America.
Synonyms
A large dark blue nonvenomous snake in southern North America and Mexico that often enters burrows
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a compositional noun phrase: 'eastern' (location) + 'indigo' (color) + 'snake' (animal) yields the straightforward meaning of a snake from the east that is indigo-colored. A B1 learner who knows the constituent words can therefore infer the basic referent, although specific biological details (size, nonvenomous status, native range) are not derivable from the phrase alone.
Etymology
Eastern indigo snake gets its name from where it lives and its color. The word eastern points to the eastern United States and indigo refers to a 'deep blue' dye, because the snake's shiny blue-black scales look like that color, so the name helps you remember this large, nonvenomous snake.
