Anguine
/ˈæŋɡwɪn/noun
Resembling or relating to a snake.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin anguis, “snake,” the source of the scientific family name Anguidae, which includes slow worms and glass lizards.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂engʷʰis
“A reconstructed word for “snake” or “serpent,” related to several ancient serpent terms.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
áhi-
“Snake or serpent; a poetic and mythological term, especially associated with the serpent-demon Vṛtra.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἔχιδνα (ekhídna)
“Viper or serpent; later the name of the monster Echidna in Greek mythology.”
Classical Latin
Latin
anguis
“Snake or serpent.”
Late Latin
Latin
anguineus
“Snake-like or pertaining to a snake.”
17th Century
English
anguine
“Resembling a serpent; a learned adjective adopted from Latin.”
Modern English
English
anguine
“Snake-like, serpentine, or related to snakes.”