# serpentine
## English
### Etymology

From Middle English serpentine, from Old French serpentin, from Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns (“serpent”), equivalent to serpent +‎ -ine.

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/
* (General American) IPA: /ˈsɝ.pənˌtaɪn/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)pəntaɪn

### Adjective

serpentine (comparative more serpentine, superlative most serpentine)
* Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.
* Of, or having attributes associated with, the serpent referred to in the book of Genesis in the Bible, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.
    The wily criminal was known for his serpentine behavior.
* Having the form or shape of a snake.
    Synonym: ophidian
    There are serpentine species of lizards which do not have legs.
* Curving in alternate directions; sinuous.
    Synonyms: sinuous, tortuous, winding
    The serpentine path through the mountains was narrow and dangerous.
** 1855, Robert Browning, “Andrea del Sarto. (Called ‘the Faultless Painter.’)”, in Men and Women […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, page 2:So! keep looking so— / My serpentining beauty, rounds on rounds!
** 1950 December, E. M. Patterson, “An Ulster Round Trip”, in Railway Magazine, page 802:Between Magherafelt and Macfin its length of 29¼ miles made a rather serpentine line on the map, as it attempted to serve the rather scattered towns and villages that lie between the River Bann and the Dungiven Mountains.
* Pertaining to the serpentine subgroup of minerals.
    serpentine soils

#### Derived terms

* serpentine belt
* serpentine verse

#### Translations
### Noun

serpentine (plural serpentines)
* Any of several plants believed to cure snakebites.
* (historical) An early form of cannon, used in the 16th century.
* A kind of firework.
* A coiled distillation tube.
* (mathematics) Any of several related cubic curves; anguinea
* (equestrianism) In dressage, a winding walk across on the arena.
* (mineralogy) Any of several green/brown minerals consisting of magnesium and iron silicates that have similar layered crystal structure, whose appearance somewhat resembles a snake's skin.
** 2020, Hilary Mantel, The Mirror and the Light, Fourth Estate, page 394:It is reached by five-and-twenty steps of porphyry and serpentine.
* (geology) An outcrop or region with soil and rock dominated by these minerals.

#### Hyponyms

* (mineral): antigorite, chrysotile, lizardite

#### Translations
### Verb

serpentine (third-person singular simple present serpentines, present participle serpentining, simple past and past participle serpentined)
* To serpentize; to turn or bend; to meander.
** 1813, George Nicholson, The Cambrian Traveller's Guidey
    There were two little lakes, or rather large pools which stood in the bottom, whence issued a rivulet which serpentined in view for two or three miles, offering a pleasing relief to the eye.
** 1912, William B. Simmons, “The First Tripper”, in Hamilton Literary Magazine, volume 47, page 123:The mountains were fully in their gorgeous autumn garb the next morning, as the train serpentined up and up toward the divide.
** 2002 April 29, mixgreg, “Mountain Sledding”, in rec.sport.snowmobiles‎ (Usenet):Most great mountain riders carve up the slope, serpentining as he climbs up the mountain. A mountain rider will as he loses momentum will turn out a bit, reducing the angle of attack. He will continue carving switchbacks, using body english jumping from one side of his sled to the other, as he continues climbing higher and higher.
** 2012 January 29, Hans-Georg Michna, “GPS getting you into trouble”, in alt.satellite.gps.garmin‎ (Usenet):At least one road here (the one serpentining up the mountain to Urfeld at the Walchensee) is prohibited for bicycles on weekends.

### Further reading

* David Barthelmy (1997–2025) “Serpentine”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.
* “serpentine”, in Mindat.org‎, Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, 2000–2025.

### Anagrams

* terpinenes

## French
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /sɛʁ.pɑ̃.tin/
* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

serpentine
* feminine singular of serpentin

## Italian
### Adjective

serpentine f pl
* feminine plural of serpentino

### Noun

serpentine f pl
* plural of serpentina

## Latin
### Adjective

serpentīne
* vocative masculine singular of serpentīnus