serpent

serpent [-'s] n

OFr < L. 'creeping thing, crawling, serpent'.

  1. Snake; long slender legless creeping reptile.
  2. Asp; cobra; viper; venomous snake; noxious reptile; [fig.] deceiver; liar; prevaricator; tempter; beguiling creature in the Garden of Eden; [metaphor] Satan; Lucifer; the Devil; (see Genesis 3:1-4).