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Basilisk vs Serpent - What's the difference?

basilisk | serpent |

As nouns the difference between basilisk and serpent

is that basilisk is a mythical (and heraldic) snake-like dragon type, reputed to be so venomous that its gaze was deadly while serpent is a snake.

As an adjective basilisk

is suggesting a basilisk : baleful, spellbinding.

As a verb serpent is

to wind; to encircle.

basilisk

Alternative forms

* basilisc

Noun

(en noun)
  • A mythical (and heraldic) snake-like dragon type, reputed to be so venomous that its gaze was deadly.
  • The deadly look of the basilisk
  • (heraldiccharge) In heraldry, a type of dragon
  • A treedwelling type of lizard, of genus .
  • A type of large brass cannon.
  • Adjective

    (-) (rfv-sense)
  • suggesting a basilisk : baleful, spellbinding
  • *{{quote-book
  • , year=1870 , author= , title=The British drama: illustrated , volume=4 , url= , isbn= , page=997 , passage=Well, She is so basilisk ; there's no death in her eyes ...}}
  • *{{quote-book
  • , year=1884 , author=M. L. O'Byrne , title=Ill-won Peerages, Or, An Unhallowed Union , chapter= , url= , isbn= , page=126 , passage=her gaze became more basilisk in its expression, and her countenance bore some similitude to that of a handsome fiend}}
  • *{{quote-book
  • , year=2004 , author=Witi Tame Ihimaera , title=Whanau II , chapter= , url= , isbn= , page=167 , passage=He had never seen her quite like this, so basilisk , so frightening}} ----

    serpent

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A snake.
  • (label) An obsolete wind instrument in the brass family, whose shape is suggestive of a snake ().
  • (label) A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.
  • A kind of firework with a serpentine motion.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To wind; to encircle.
  • (Evelyn)

    See also

    * herpetology * lizard * reptile * snake

    Anagrams

    * * * ----