- a literary or dialect word for snake
a manifestation of Satan as a guileful tempter (Genesis 3:1–5) a sly, deceitful, or unscrupulous person an obsolete wind instrument resembling a snake in shape, the bass form of the cornett
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ser•pent /ˈsɜrpənt/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Reptilesa snake.
- a sneaky, dishonest, or evil person.
ser•pent
(sûr′pənt),USA pronunciation n.
- Reptilesa snake.
- a wily, treacherous, or malicious person.
- Biblethe Devil;
Satan. Gen. 3:1–5. - a firework that burns with serpentine motion or flame.
- Music and Dancean obsolete wooden wind instrument with a serpentine shape and a deep, coarse tone. Cf. ophicleide.
- (cap.) [Astron.]the constellation Serpens.
- Latin serpent-, stem of serpēns; see Serpens
- Middle French)
- Middle English (1250–1300
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