serpent Meaning & Definition
What Does Serpent Mean?
As a noun, serpent means a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings. It is also used to mean snake.
Serpent: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈsər-pənt/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | ophidian, snake and viper |
| Plural | serpents |
Serpent Definition (Noun)
- a noxious creature that creeps, hisses, or stings
- snake
- devil
- a treacherous person
Synonyms of Serpent
Antonyms of Serpent
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Serpent in a Sentence
an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl
beware the temptations of the serpent
a serpent in their midst had betrayed the revolutionaries to the authorities
Word Forms & Grammar
serpent
serpents
serpent (plural serpents)
serpent (third-person singular simple present serpents, present participle serpenting, simple past and past participle serpented)
Origin of Serpent
Origin 1: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin serpent-, serpens, from present participle of serpere to creep; akin to Greek herpein to creep, Sanskrit sarpati he creeps
Origin 2: From Middle English serpent, from Old French serpent (“snake, serpent”), from Latin serpēns (“snake”), present active participle of serpere (“to creep, crawl”), from Proto-Italic *serpō, from Proto-Indo-European *serp-. In this sense, displaced native Old English nǣdre (“snake, serpent”), whence Modern English adder.
Origin 3: Compare Sanskrit सर्प (sarpa, “snake”), which is a descendant of the same Proto-Indo-European word as serpent.
First Known Use
14th century
How to Pronounce Serpent
The standard pronunciation of serpent is /ˈsər-pənt/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (sər).
Serpent: Your Questions Answered
What part of speech is serpent?
Serpent is a noun.
What is another word for serpent?
Close synonyms of serpent are ophidian, snake and viper. See the full list of serpent synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of serpent?
The plural of serpent is serpents.