tigre snake
tigre snake Lexical Profile
• noun
Australian A highly venomous snake of the genus Notechis, native to the southern regions of Australia and its coastal islands, characterized by distinctive dark and yellow bands; an alternative or non-standard spelling for 'tiger snake'.
"The hiker was warned to stay clear of the tall grass where a tigre snake had recently been spotted basking in the sun."
A vernacular name occasionally applied to large, boldly patterned snakes in the Americas, such as the tiger rat snake, noted for their aggressive defensive displays and striped appearance resembling a jaguar or tiger.
"Local guides often refer to the aggressively posturing Spilotes pullatus as a tigre snake due to its striking yellow and black markings."
Word Nuance & Usage
The spelling 'tigre snake' is a rare variant or non-standard borrowing of 'tiger snake', most frequently referring to the highly venomous Australian elapid or locally to striped Neotropical snakes.
Word Origin & Etymology
From 'tigre' (a borrowing from French or Spanish, or a variant spelling of 'tiger', denoting the striped pattern) + 'snake' (from Old English 'snaca').