cottonmouth

Thân thiện

A cottonmouth slithers along the muddy bank of a swamp.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A venomous semiaquatic snake: A type of pit viper found in swamps, marshes, and slow-moving bodies of water in the southeastern United States. It is known for the white lining inside its mouth, which it displays when threatened.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We saw a cottonmouth sunning itself on a log near the riverbank.
  • The biologist carefully studied the behavior of the cottonmouth, a common species in these wetlands.

Advanced Usage

• "Cottonmouth" as a medical symptom: In informal medical contexts, "cottonmouth" can describe the symptom of a very dry mouth, often as a side effect of medication or dehydration. This is a metaphorical extension based on the feeling of dryness.
  • A common side effect of that allergy medicine is severe cottonmouth.

Variants and Related Words

• Cottonmouth moccasin (n): Another common name for the same snake species.
  • The guide warned us that the area was known for cottonmouth moccasins.
• Water moccasin (n): The most frequently used synonym for this snake.
  • Many people mistakenly call any water snake a water moccasin.

Synonyms

• Water moccasin (n): The most common synonym.
• Agkistrodon piscivorus (n): The scientific name for the species.

Related Phrases

• "As mean as a cottonmouth": An informal simile used to describe someone with a very bad or aggressive temper.
  • Stay away from the boss today; he's as mean as a cottonmouth.

Notes on Meaning

• The primary meaning is zoological, referring specifically to the venomous snake .
• The secondary, informal meaning relating to a dry mouth is always used as a singular noun (e.g., "I have cottonmouth") and is distinct from the animal. Context always clarifies which meaning is intended.

Học thuật

Noun

1. venomous semiaquatic snake of swamps in southern United States

Từ đồng nghĩa

• water moccasin
• cottonmouth moccasin
• Agkistrodon piscivorus