massasauga

[ mas-uh-saw-guh ]
/ ˌmæs əˈsɔ gə /

noun

a small rattlesnake, Sistrurus catenatus, ranging from the Great Lakes to the Mexican border.

Origin of massasauga

First recorded in 1830–40; irregular after Missisauga River, Ontario, Canada

Words nearby massasauga

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Example sentences from the Web for massasauga

  • The massasauga is the rattlesnake occasionally found in the swamps from western New York to Nebraska, but it is rare.

    On the Trail |Lina Beard and Adelia Belle Beard

  • One found at another locality had apparently hibernated in company with a massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus).

    Natural History of the Racer Coluber constrictor |Henry S. Fitch

  • The Massasauga is one of the smaller rattlesnakes, averaging about two feet in length.

    Pathfinder |Alan Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for massasauga

massasauga
/ (ˌmæsəˈsɔːɡə) /

noun

a North American venomous snake, Sistrurus catenatus, that has a horny rattle at the end of the tail: family Crotalidae (pit vipers)

Word Origin for massasauga

C19: named after the Missisauga River, Ontario, Canada, where it was first found