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Definition of fox snake

fox snake

Plural:fox snakes
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• noun

1

North American A non-venomous North American rat snake of the genus Pantherophis (such as the eastern or western fox snake), native to the Midwestern United States and characterized by a light brown or yellowish body with dark blotches.

Example

"The farmer was relieved to discover that the reptile in his barn was just a harmless fox snake hunting for mice."

Word Nuance & Usage

Fox snakes are frequently misidentified as venomous copperheads or rattlesnakes due to their similar blotched patterning and habit of rapidly vibrating their tails in dry leaves when threatened.

• Nearby Words

fourthly
fowl
fox
fox snake
foxed
foxglove
foxhole

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Fox snake. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/fox-snake
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