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Definition of dekay's brown snake
dekay's brown snake
Plural:dekay's brown snakes
• noun
1
North American A small, non-venomous colubrid snake native to North and Central America, typically featuring a brown or grayish body with a lighter dorsal stripe, often found in gardens where it feeds on slugs and earthworms.
Example
"While weeding the flowerbeds, she uncovered a small DeKay's brown snake hiding quietly beneath a damp rotting log."
Word Nuance & Usage
Because of their common brown coloration and pattern, DeKay's brown snakes are sometimes mistakenly feared to be juvenile copperheads, though they are entirely harmless to humans.
• Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dekay's brown snake. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dekay's-brown-snake