Colubrids

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of snakes that are generally harmless and inhabit diverse regions across the globe
2. These reptiles are identified as non-venomous and exhibit a wide range of adaptations in different ecosystems
3. A taxonomic group including a broad variety of generally harmless snakes found worldwide

Etymology: "Colubrids" is the plural of "colubrid," a member of the snake family Colubridae, the largest snake family, which includes most of the non-venomous snakes. The family takes its name from the genus "Coluber," which was named after the Latin "coluber," meaning "snake." Latin speakers used the word for snakes in general, so the scientific name simply restores that older everyday sense in a taxonomic setting. The family name was built by taxonomists, who form family names by adding a suffix to a genus name, so "Colubridae" follows the same pattern as many other animal family names. The "-id" ending marks it as a zoological family, and "colubrid" is the English term for any member of that group. The name is a technical coinage from classical roots rather than a word that snake-catchers or naturalists of Roman times would have used for these particular animals.

Synonyms: snakes