hognose snake

noun

hog·​nose snake ˈhȯg-ˌnōz- How to pronounce hognose snake (audio)
ˈhäg-
: any of a genus (Heterodon) of rather small harmless stout-bodied North American colubrid snakes with keeled scales and an upturned snout that seldom bite but hiss wildly and often play dead when disturbed

called also hog-nosed snake, puff adder

Examples of hognose snake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web A number of other species are benefiting from the growth of lupine and other plants in the area, including rare moths, butterflies, native bees, and reptiles such as the Eastern hognose snake and Eastern box turtle, officials said. Travis Andersen, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2023 When All Else Fails, Play Dead The eastern hognose snake incorporates several strategies to avoid getting eaten. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2023 The eastern hognose snake is the Daniel Day-Lewis of Alabama snakes and will go to great lengths to deliver a performance that convinces predators not to eat it. Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 15 Aug. 2022 And though our crew had logged dozens of interesting finds, including an eastern hognose snake and a five-lined skink, the target species had yet to be seen. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2022 The good-guy snakes include but aren’t limited to the eastern hognose snake, Texas brown snake, Texas rat snake, rough green snake, garter snake, milk snake, bullsnake, kingsnake, indigo snake, black racer, water snake, blind snake and coachwhip. Howard Garrett, Dallas News, 8 June 2020 When threatened, eastern hognose snakes often play dead by rolling onto their backs and opening their mouths. Michelle Lou, CNN, 11 June 2019 One harmless snake common in Texas is the eastern hognose snake. Rebecca Hennes, Houston Chronicle, 13 June 2019 Known for rolling on their backs and opening their mouths, the eastern hognose snake often plays dead to prevent predators from attacking. Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY, 11 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hognose snake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hognose snake was in 1737

Dictionary Entries Near hognose snake

Cite this Entry

“Hognose snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hognose%20snake. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hognose snake

noun
hog·​nose snake ˌhȯg-ˌnōz- How to pronounce hognose snake (audio)
ˌhäg-
: any of several rather small harmless North American snakes that have stout bodies and hiss when disturbed

called also hog-nosed snake\ -​ˌnōzd-​ \, puff adder

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