A rattlesnake is a poisonous American snake which can make a rattling noise with its tail.
He had been bitten by a rattlesnake.
rattlesnake in British English
(ˈrætəlˌsneɪk)
noun
any of the venomous New World snakes constituting the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, such as C. horridus (black or timber rattlesnake): family Crotalidae (pit vipers). They have a series of loose horny segments on the tail that are vibrated to produce a buzzing or whirring sound
rattlesnake in American English
(ˈrætəlˌsneɪk)
US
noun
any of various poisonous American pit vipers (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus), having an interlocking series of horny rings at the end of the tail that produce a rattling or buzzing sound when shaken
Show me a straight journalist and I'll show you a rattlesnake.
Forbes, Bryan THE ENDLESS GAME (1984)
The easiest thing was to hold real still, like when you meet a bad dog or come near to stepping on a rattlesnake.
Tepper, Sheri S. A PLAGUE OF ANGELS (1984)
`I was suddenly hit by a feeling of blind panic--as if I'd reached into a bag and pulled out a rattlesnake.
West, Charles STAGE FRIGHT (1984)
`Like a rattlesnake ," said Parish, making an embarrassed avoidance of Mary Ing's sad face.
Leeson, Robert GENIE ON THE LOOSE (1984)
In other languages
rattlesnake
British English: rattlesnake /ˈrætlˌsneɪk/ NOUN
A rattlesnake is a poisonous American snake which can make a rattling noise with its tail.
He had been bitten by a rattlesnake.
American English: rattlesnake
Arabic: أَفْعَى ذاتُ الَأجْراس
Brazilian Portuguese: cascavel
Chinese: 响尾蛇
Croatian: čegrtuša
Czech: chřestýš
Danish: klapperslange
Dutch: ratelslang
European Spanish: serpiente de cascabel
Finnish: kalkkarokäärme
French: serpent à sonnette
German: Klapperschlange
Greek: κροταλίας
Italian: serpente a sonagli
Japanese: ガラガラヘビ
Korean: 방울뱀
Norwegian: klapperslange
Polish: grzechotnik
European Portuguese: cascavel
Romanian: șarpe cu clopoței
Russian: гремучая змея
Latin American Spanish: serpiente de cascabel
Swedish: skallerorm
Thai: งูกะปะ
Turkish: çıngıraklı yılan
Ukrainian: гримуча змія
Vietnamese: rắn chuông
All related terms of 'rattlesnake'
rattlesnake root
any of a number of perennial plants (genus Prenanthes ) of the composite family, with small, cylindrical , drooping heads and intensely bitter roots , formerly considered a cure for snakebite
rattlesnake weed
an American hawkweed ( Hieracium venosum ) having purple-veined basal leaves and a naked flowering stem
timber rattlesnake
a yellowish-brown to black rattlesnake ( Crotalus horridus ) with V -shaped bands on the back
rattlesnake plantain
any of various small temperate and tropical orchids of the genus Goodyera , having mottled or striped leaves and spikes of yellowish-white flowers
diamondback rattlesnake
either of two large, highly venomous rattlesnakes of the genus Crotalus , having diamond-shaped markings on the back
eastern diamondback rattlesnake
an extremely venomous diamondback rattlesnake , Crotalus adamanteus , of the southeastern U.S
western diamondback rattlesnake
an extremely venomous diamondback rattlesnake , Crotalus atrox , of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico