serpente

snake

noun ser-PEN-teh Rare

Origin: Latin serpens, from serpere (to crawl).

Also means

serpent

Usage Note

Serpente is masculine: il serpente, i serpenti. In Italian it refers to any snake, while vipera specifically means viper. Figuratively, calling someone un serpente implies deceitfulness or treachery, making it a stronger insult than merely subdolo.

Examples

"Ho visto un serpente nel giardino."

Natural Translation

I saw a snake in the garden.

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