Răt'tle-snāke, n.

n. (Zöol.) A poisonous snake of the genus Crotalus, of a yellowish-brown color, and having a series of horny joints at the end of the tail which make a rattling sound, whence the name. The common species is C. durissus, and this and other species are natives of the United States. The diamond or water rattlesnake is C. adamanteus.

New Am. Cyc.