moccasin
moccasin Lexical Profile
moccasin Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A soft leather slipper or shoe, traditionally made of deerskin and consisting of a sole brought up and attached to a piece of U-shaped leather on top, originally worn by Indigenous peoples of North America.
"She slipped on a pair of fleece-lined moccasins to keep her feet warm by the fireplace."
American A venomous pit viper native to the southeastern United States, commonly found in or near water.
"The hikers were careful to avoid the swampy edges of the lake, knowing it was prime habitat for the water moccasin."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the snake, 'moccasin' almost always refers to the 'water moccasin' (cottonmouth), a dangerous pit viper distinct from harmless native water snakes.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English in the early 17th century from Virginia Algonquian (Powhatan) 'makasin', sharing a common root with Massachusett 'mohkisson' and Ojibwe 'makizin', meaning 'shoe'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.