ring-necked snake
- noun
- /ˈrɪŋˌnɛkt sneɪk/
- US
- The ring-necked snake is easily identified by the yellow ring around its neck.
Examples
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We spotted a ring-necked snake basking in the morning sun near the trail.
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Although ring-necked snakes are common in our area, they are rarely seen due to their secretive nature.
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I spotted a ring-necked snake in my backyard.
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The ring-necked snakes are often found near water.
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The ring-necked snake is easily identified by the yellow ring around its neck.
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We spotted a ring-necked snake basking in the morning sun near the trail.
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Although ring-necked snakes are common in our area, they are rarely seen due to their secretive nature.
Synonyms
A small snake that is not poisonous with a yellow or orange ring around its neck
A small harmless snake with a pale ring around its neck
Small thin North American snakes with a colored ring around the neck
Surface Forms
Morphology
ring-necked + snake
The phrase describes a snake characterized by a ring or band around its neck, which is directly derivable from the constituents 'ring' + 'neck' combined with 'snake' (i.e., a snake with a ringed neck). This follows a common English adjectival compounding pattern (e.g., 'blue-eyed', 'long-legged') and is cross-linguistically accessible, so a B1 learner who knows the component words would likely infer the meaning.
Etymology
The name ring-necked snake comes from the bright yellow or orange ring around its neck. So the name describes the small snake and helps you remember which animal it is.