rattlesnake

Everyday

A poisonous (venomous) snake of North and South America that has a rattle at the end of its tail made of hard rings, which it shakes to make a buzzing warning noise. tree →

In the lessons

In science, the rattle is a warning signal and an adaptation: it tells bigger animals to stay away. Rattlesnakes are pit vipers that sense heat. In outdoor safety lessons in the USA, Canada and Mexico: stay on paths, watch where you put hands and feet, don't reach under rocks or logs; if you hear a rattle, freeze, find the snake, and back away slowly; if bitten, keep still and calm and get emergency help — don't cut or suck the wound. Phrases: rattlesnake bite, a rattler, shake its rattle.

Examples

• The rattlesnake shook its tail to warn us. tree →
• If you hear a rattlesnake, back away slowly. tree →
• Rattlesnakes live in deserts and grasslands in America. tree →
• Watch where you step on desert trails — rattlesnakes hide under rocks. tree →
• A rattlesnake bite needs a doctor straight away. tree →
• The rattle is made of hard rings, like your fingernails. tree →
• Baby rattlesnakes are venomous too. tree →

Note

One word: rattlesnake. There are no wild rattlesnakes in the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand (Australia has other venomous snakes). Snakes are venomous (poison injected by a bite), which is the correct word, though people often say «poisonous».