hoop snake
• noun
North American A legendary creature of North American folklore, reputed to grasp its tail in its jaws and roll after its prey like a wheel.
"According to the old frontiersmen's tall tales, the only way to escape a charging hoop snake was to hide behind a tree so it would strike the trunk instead."
American A colloquial term for the mud snake, a harmless, semi-aquatic snake native to the southeastern United States, which is often mistakenly linked to the mythical rolling creature.
"The farmer incorrectly identified the docile mud snake resting near the swamp as a dangerous hoop snake."
Word Nuance & Usage
While strictly a creature of North American tall tales, the term is sometimes used colloquially in the southeastern United States to refer to the harmless mud snake, which is erroneously believed to exhibit this rolling behavior.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.