serpent
/sɛʁ.pɑ̃/masculine
The French word for snake is serpent.
serpent is a masculine noun used to refer to a legless reptile. The related verb serpenter is used to describe a path or a river that moves in a winding, serpentine manner.
Meaning: legless reptile (noun)
Which one should you use?
While serpent is the general term for a snake, in everyday conversation, French speakers often use couleuvre to refer specifically to common, non-venomous snakes found in gardens or woods.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of serpent, simply add an 's' to the end to get serpents.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /sɛʁ.pɑ̃/.
Did you know?
- A serpent de mer is not just a sea snake, but a common French idiom used to describe a news story that disappears and reappears over a long period.
- The word serpent comes from the Latin serpēns, which is the present participle of serpō, meaning 'to creep'.
- In traditional French folklore, the basilisc is a legendary king of serpents whose glance could kill a human instantly.
Examples in context
- Le serpent a mué.The snake shed its skin.This sentence shows how to use serpent when discussing a snake shedding its skin.Tatoeba #5060151 by sacredceltic, translation #3756494 by Lindoula
- Elle a vu un serpent.She saw a snake.This sentence demonstrates the use of serpent in a simple observation.Tatoeba #10783470 by sacredceltic, translation #2875894 by Amastan
- Regarde ! Un serpent !Look, a snake!This sentence illustrates how to use serpent when pointing one out to someone.Tatoeba #7694577 by sacredceltic, translation #4824088 by Hybrid
- J'adore les boas, ils sont fascinants !I love boas, they are fascinating!
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are hiking in the woods.
- ChloéAttention, il y a un serpent sur le chemin.Watch out, there is a snake on the path.
- HugoOù est-il ? Je ne le vois pas.Where is it? I don't see it.
- ChloéJuste là, près de la grosse pierre.Right there, near the big rock.
- HugoAh oui, quel serpent impressionnant !Oh yes, what an impressive snake!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snake” translations and entries serpent, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries serpent, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
