Meaning & use
basilisk
Last updated
A mythical reptile said to be able to cause death with a single glance or breath.
See it in a sentence
In the legend, no one could look directly at the basilisk and survive.
The old manuscript described the basilisk as king of serpents.
A note on using this word
Also the name of a real type of small lizard found in Central and South America, unrelated to the mythical monster's deadly powers.
Another way to use it
2. noun
A type of tropical lizard, some species of which can run across water.
The basilisk lizard sprinted across the pond's surface to escape the predator.
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