French word

couleuvre

Pronunciation

IPA/kulœvʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounsnake

Example

Regarde la couleuvre dans le jardin.

Look at the snake in the garden.

Illustration for couleuvre (snake)

More examples

La couleuvre a glissé dans l'herbe.

The snake slid into the grass.

Core concept

A narrow, flexible snake slipping through garden plants and wet ground without venom.

Common phrases

  • apercevoir une couleuvre

    spot a snake

  • éviter une couleuvre

    avoid a snake

Similar words

serpent: A broad term for any snake, regardless of its appearance or danger.
vipère: A venomous snake whose bite can be dangerous to people.

Definition in French

Serpent non venimeux, souvent rencontré près de l'eau ou dans la végétation basse.

Word origin

Latin colubra passed into Old French as couleuvre before becoming the modern French term for this kind of nonvenomous snake.

Usage tips

  • In avaler des couleuvres, the plural noun forms an idiom about accepting humiliations or unpleasant claims without protest.

Other meanings

  • water snakenoun

Opposites

  • serpent venimeuxvenomous snakenoun

Word lists with this word