Rattlesnake Meaning
/ˈɹæt.əlˌsneɪk/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAny of various venomous American snakes, of genera Crotalus and Sistrurus, having a rattle at the end of its tail.
Sentence Examples
A rattlesnake's bite is filled with poison.
Tom was bitten by a rattlesnake.
Tom found a rattlesnake under the bed and quickly killed it.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ is a venomous snake known for the noise its tail makes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The hiker froze when she heard the distinctive sound of a ____ coiled on the path ahead.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English rattle English snake English rattlesnake From rattle + snake.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Hooded rattlesnakes, horned toads, and lizards crawl in the dust and among the rocks."
— 1895, J[ohn] W[esley] Powell, chapter I, in Canyons of the Colorado, Meadville, PA: Flood & Vincent; republished as The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons, New York: Dover, 1961, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 22:
"The country ran shuttles and posted signs encouraging visitors to enjoy the display responsibly, but those precautions didn't prevent rattlesnake bites, twisted ankles, heat exhaustion, Instacelebs and other selfie-takers lying in or otherwise trampling the delicate blooms they'd come to see."
— 2019 July, Jeffrey Rindskopf, “The Costs of Instatravel”, in DOPE Magazine, page 90:
"Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. The majority of snakebites occur on the hands, feet and ankles."
— (Can we date this quote?), “Snake Safety”, in USDA, page 1:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ is a venomous snake known for the noise its tail makes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The hiker froze when she heard the distinctive sound of a ____ coiled on the path ahead.