how to describe a snake in creative writing

By Patrick Carpen: The Greatest Writer On Earth

Descriptive Writing: A Snake Above My Head

This photo is a representation only, and not the actual snake that I saw.

A good description paints a vivid picture. The reader should be able to recall the objects and incidents described as though he or she had seen a painting or a motion picture.

The following extract is based on a true incident which occurred during my travels through the Amazon Rain Forest. The primary objective of the lesson is to teach descriptive writing and literary devices. How effective do you think the description of the snake’s movement is? How can it be improved? Leave your comments below and let me know.

A Snake Above My Head

As I lay down in my hammock one sunny morning, in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, sipping a cup of coffee, I had the displeasure of viewing with distrust this dangerous creature, as it slithered from branch to branch in the tree above me.

The deadly serpent was about 6 feet long. It was yellow on the belly and black on the back, and at times, it stuck its forked tongue out and wobbled it in the air. Its movement was as effortless as flowing water, as it poured itself across the leaves, limbs and branches.

What mechanism of action produced such seamless movement, I do not know, but it was remarkable and striking. Sometimes, it launched itself on very frail limbs that miraculously did not crack under its considerable weight. At other times, it lifted half its body into thin air as it reached for another limb. The snake effortlessly bridged considerable gaps that humans with hands and feet would have difficulty crossing. Before I knew it, the creature was way down towards the other side of the tree, down towards the bottom near to the river, and out of my sight.

Related: My Closest Encounter With A Venomous Snake.

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Best Adjectives to Describe a Snake

Table of Contents

Numerous adjectives and adverbs are used to characterize snakes. Snakes have been part of society for thousands of years and are constantly explored, loved, feared, and hated.

Their appearance and characteristic have been described in numerous ways. In certain cultures, snakes are revered and even considered lucky.

Some civilizations attribute magical powers to snakes, while others find them fascinating. Now let’s take a step back and look at some best adjectives to describe a snake .

23 Adjectives to Describe a Snake

Describing a snake can be a challenging task because there is a wide range of diversity in types of snakes. These descriptors may help you picture what it might be like to live among snakes.

Indicative (pattern) of the snake’s nature: That snake is vicious.

2. Venomous

Indicative (pattern) of the snake’s nature: Do not go close! It is venomous.

3. Coily movement

Patterned adjectival description: the snake’s muscles coiled and uncoiled as it moved.

The snake was devious, as described by the patterning adjective

5. Slunk Sound

The snake slunk over the grass so quietly that it was nearly undetectable.

6. Colorless

Indicative (pattern) of the snake’s nature: colorless.

The snake was colorless.

7. Curious Hiss

A strange hissing sound is a unique pattern of snakes.

8. Quick to bite

The snake was quick to bite

7. Narrow head

We saw a narrow-headed snake.

8. Long and sharp

It was long and sharp

9. Large fangs

The snake had large fangs

10. Fast-moving

Indicative (pattern) of the snake’s nature: fast-moving

11. Venomous and rattle patterned

Description [of the snake, patterned adjective]: It was venomous and had a rattle

12. Yellow-eyed patterned

Description: It had yellow eyes

13. Sharp and forked tongue

Description of the snake: It was sharp and had a forked tongue

14. Flat headed

Description of the snake based on patterned adjective: It had a flat head

15. Triangular headed

It had a triangular head

16. Diamond-shaped head

Description of the snake: It had a diamond-shaped head

17. Narrow head

Patterned adjective: It had a narrow head

18. Constrictor Patterned

Description of the snake: It was a constrictor snake

19. Harmless gait

Description [of the snake, patterned adjective]: It had a harmless gait

Description of the snake: The snake had a nasty disposition

21. Black patterned

Description [of the snake, patterned adjective]: It had a black body

22. Small and venomous

Description: It was small and venomous

Description [of the snake, patterned adjective]: It had a fussy gait

Wrapping Up

This list of adjectives to describe a snake is not exhaustive. Many other adjectives can be found in the snake’s natural habitat, but this list can give you a good starting point.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.