serpent

snake

noun sehr-PAHN Less Common

Usage Note

Serpent is the standard word for snake; the final t is silent. In figurative use serpent can mean a treacherous or deceitful person, echoing the biblical serpent. The phrase un serpent dans l'herbe ('a snake in the grass') carries the same idiomatic meaning as in English. A smaller snake is sometimes called une couleuvre.

Examples

"Un serpent traversait le chemin."

Natural Translation

A snake was crossing the path.

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