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Glite Dictionary
whip-snake

whip-snake

9.0
A small fast snake with a long thin tail
  • noun
  • /ˈwɪpˌsneɪk/
translation icon : serpiente látigo
  • Unlike vipers, the whip-snake relies on its speed to escape predators.

Examples

  • The whip-snake darted across the path and quickly disappeared into the undergrowth.

  • She photographed a rare whip-snake while hiking in the national park.

  • The whip-snake darted across the path.

  • Have you ever seen a whip-snake in the wild?

  • While on a nature walk, he spotted a vibrant whip-snake slithering quickly through the grass.

  • The whip-snake has a unique ability to move rapidly, which helps it evade capture.

  • During the herpetology study, we encountered a whip-snake that had just shed its skin.

Synonyms

whip snake
vswhip-snake
7.1

A small fast snake with a long thin body and tail

is the hyphenated spelling used in some writings
whipsnake
vswhip-snake
  • US
9.2

A small fast snake with a long thin tail that moves like a whip

is the general term not limited to those genera

Surface Forms

whip-snake singular
whip-snakes plural

Morphology

whip-snake = whip + snake (transparent) = whip + snake

The hyphenated compound is directly composed of 'whip' + 'snake', indicating a snake with a whip-like tail or appearance, which is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Whip-snake comes from the word whip, which means 'a long, thin tool used to hit', because these snakes have very long, thin tails and move quickly like a whip, and snake names the animal. So, a whip-snake is a fast, long-tailed snake.