whip-snake

Thân thiện

A whip-snake slithers quickly across a sunlit garden path.

Definition

Noun: 1. A type of slender, fast-moving snake: A whip-snake is any of several species of non-venomous snakes characterized by an extremely slender body, a long, thin tail, and very rapid movement, resembling the motion of a cracking whip.

Usage

The term "whip-snake" is used to describe specific snakes within certain genera (like Masticophis or Coluber) known for their speed and shape. It functions as a common name, not a precise taxonomic classification. * The coachwhip is a common type of whip-snake found in North America. * We spotted a whip-snake darting across the path and into the underbrush.

Advanced Usage

• The name is often used in a compound form with a descriptive prefix to specify a particular species (e.g., "Oriental whip-snake," "green whip-snake"). These are treated as distinct common names.

Variants and Related Words

• Whipsnake: An alternative, often single-word spelling of "whip-snake."
• Coachwhip: A specific, well-known type of whip-snake () native to the southern United States and northern Mexico.
• Racer: A related common name for snakes in the same genera, also known for their speed.

Synonyms

• Racer (in some contexts, though "racer" can be a broader category)

Different Meanings

The term "whip-snake" has only one primary meaning, referring specifically to the described group of slender, fast snakes. It is not used idiomatically.

Học thuật

Noun

1. any of several small fast-moving snakes with long whiplike tails

Từ đồng nghĩa

• whip snake
• whipsnake