genus Natrix
- noun
- /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈneɪtrɪks/
- Specialized
- Unlike vipers, snakes in the genus Natrix are non-venomous and pose little threat to humans.
Examples
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Species in the genus Natrix are commonly found near rivers and lakes.
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The genus Natrix includes several species of water snakes.
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Researchers studied several specimens belonging to the genus Natrix in Eastern Europe.
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Did you know that genus Natrix is commonly referred to as grass snakes?
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Researchers studied several specimens belonging to the genus Natrix in Eastern Europe.
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Species in the genus Natrix are commonly found near rivers and lakes.
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Unlike vipers, snakes in the genus Natrix are non-venomous and pose little threat to humans.
Synonyms
A group of not venomous water snakes found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' (a taxonomic rank) combined with the proper name 'Natrix' yields the predictable meaning 'the genus called Natrix' containing related species of snakes. This is a standard scientific naming pattern found across languages, so a learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Genus Natrix comes from the Latin word Natrix, an old word for a water snake that comes from a verb meaning 'to swim'. So scientists used it as the name for the group of snakes that live near rivers and lakes, which is why genus Natrix refers to these water or grass snakes today.