snake
UK[sneɪk]US[sneɪk]
n
a long, legless reptile with a scaly skin, many species of which have a venomous bite.
v
to move or extend with the twisting motion of a snake.
Etymology
the modern english word "snake" derives directly from the old english "snaca," meaning serpent or reptile. this old english term has germanic cognates, such as old norse "snakr" and middle low german "snake." its ultimate proto-indo-european root is likely (s)nēg-o-, meaning "to crawl" or "to creep," which aptly describes the creature's primary mode of locomotion. the semantic journey is straightforward, with the word's core meaning remaining remarkably stable from its ancient roots to its modern application for the legless reptile, later extended as a verb to describe sinuous, snake-like movement.
Analysis
the word "snake" is a simplex word of old english origin. it cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller morphemes in modern english.
Examples
the gardener carefully removed the garter snake from the flower bed.
the river snakes its way through the dense jungle valley.
in the myth, medusa's hair was made of living, hissing snakes.