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Definition of snail

snail

/sneɪl/
snail
Plural:snails
•
Past Simple:snailed
•
Past Participle:snailed
•
Present Participle:snailing
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snail Lexical Profile

snail Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A slow-moving, shell-dwelling gastropod mollusk characterized by a soft, unsegmented body, tentacles, and a spirally coiled shell into which it can withdraw for protection.

Example

"After the heavy rain, the garden path was covered with snails slowly making their way toward the wet foliage."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for snail

• verb

1

To move, act, or proceed at a very slow, sluggish pace.

Example

"The congested holiday traffic snailed along the interstate for hours."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for snail
Antonyms
View all antonyms for snail

• Rhymes for snail

• Nearby Words

snaggled
snaggletooth
snaggletoothed
snail
snail cichlid
snail eating snake
snail vine

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'snægel', meaning 'snail', which is derived from the Proto-Germanic root '*snagila-', related to '*snakaną' (to crawl), sharing a common root with the word 'snake'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Snail. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/snail
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