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.

Noun

1. venomous semiaquatic snake of swamps in southern United States