Definition

Noun: 1. A mythical serpent or dragon hatched from a cock's egg, said to be able to kill with its glance: A legendary creature from European folklore, often depicted with the body of a serpent and the head, wings, and legs of a rooster. Its most famous attribute is its lethal gaze.

Usage

The word "cockatrice" is used to refer specifically to this legendary monster. It is a formal and literary term, most commonly found in historical texts, mythology, and fantasy literature. * In medieval bestiaries, the cockatrice was described as the deadliest of serpents. * The hero's shield was polished to a mirror finish to deflect the cockatrice's deadly stare.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: The term can be used metaphorically to describe a person, especially a woman, who is considered dangerously malicious or venomous.
  • The critic was described as a literary cockatrice, whose reviews could doom a new author's career.

Variants and Related Words

• Basilisk: (noun) A mythical reptile with a lethal gaze and breath, often considered synonymous with or very similar to a cockatrice in later traditions.

Synonyms

• Basilisk
• Dragon (in a general sense, though dragons are a broader category)
• Monster

Idioms and Phrases

• To have a cockatrice's eye: To possess a gaze that is perceived as critically harmful or destructive.
  • The strict teacher was said by the students to have a cockatrice's eye, freezing them with a single look.

Noun

1. monster hatched by a reptile from a cock's egg; able to kill with a glance