Search Dictionary
Definition of banded water snake
banded water snake
Plural:banded water snakes
banded water snake Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
7
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
North American A mostly aquatic, non-venomous colubrid snake native to the central and southeastern United States, characterized by distinct dark crossbands across its back and found predominantly in freshwater habitats.
Example
"The kayakers were initially startled but soon realized the reptile swimming alongside their boat was a harmless banded water snake rather than a venomous cottonmouth."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from its physical appearance, featuring distinct dark transverse bands across its back, and its semi-aquatic habitat.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Banded water snake. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/banded water snake