glass snake

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glass snake

A glass snake slithers through the dry grass.

Definition

Noun: A glass snake is a legless lizard found in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is not a true snake. Its key features are its snake-like body, very small, non-functional hind limbs, and a long, brittle tail that can break off easily as a defense mechanism and later regenerate.

Usage Notes

The term glass snake refers specifically to this type of reptile. It is a compound noun where "glass" describes the fragile, easily broken quality of its tail. It is used as a singular, countable noun (e.g., a glass snake, the glass snake).

Examples
  • We found a glass snake hiding under the log.
  • The glass snake is known for its ability to lose and regrow its tail.
  • Unlike true snakes, the glass snake has vestigial limb bones.
Advanced Usage
  • "glass lizard": This is a more general common name for lizards in the same genus () as the glass snake. All glass snakes are glass lizards, but not all glass lizards are called "glass snakes" in common usage.
  • The fragility of its tail is a defining trait, often referenced in descriptions of its defensive behavior.
Variants and Related Words
  • Glass lizard (n): A synonym often used interchangeably with "glass snake."
  • Joint snake (n): A regional folk name for the glass snake, referring to the segmented appearance of its tail.
  • Ophisaurus (n): The scientific genus name for these lizards.
Synonyms
  • Glass lizard
  • Joint snake (regional/folk name)
  • Scheltopusik (a common name for the European species, )
Different Meanings

The term glass snake does not have other distinct meanings. It refers exclusively to this type of legless lizard. Do not confuse it with: - Snake: A reptile of the suborder Serpentes, which is biologically distinct from legless lizards. - Glass (the material): The word "glass" in this compound noun does not refer to the transparent material but to the brittleness of the animal's tail.

Idioms

There are no common idioms specifically using the term glass snake.

Phrasal Verbs

There are no phrasal verbs associated with the term glass snake.

glass snake

A glass snake slithers through the dry grass.

Noun
  1. snakelike lizard of Europe and Asia and North America with vestigial hind limbs and the ability to regenerate its long fragile tail

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