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Definition of brown water snake
brown water snake
Plural:brown water snakes
• noun
1
American A large, heavy-bodied, non-venomous semi-aquatic snake (Nerodia taxispilota) native to the southeastern United States, characterized by a light to rusty brown body with prominent dark square blotches.
Example
"While kayaking down the slow-moving river in Georgia, we spotted a large brown water snake basking on an overhanging branch."
Word Nuance & Usage
Because of its heavy body, prominent head, and similar coloration, the non-venomous brown water snake is frequently and erroneously mistaken for the highly venomous cottonmouth (water moccasin).
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Brown water snake. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/brown%20water%20snake