Serpentine has been largely produced by the alteration of other minerals, especially of chrysolite.
2. (Ordnance) A kind of ancient cannon.
Serpentine
(Ser"pen*tine), v. i. To serpentize. [R.] Lyttleton.
Serpentinely
(Ser"pen*tine*ly), adv. In a serpentine manner.
Serpentinian
(Ser`pen*tin"i*an) n. (Eccl.) See 2d Ophite.
Serpentinize
(Ser"pen*tin*ize) v. t. (Min.) To convert (a magnesian silicate) into serpentine. — Ser`pen*tin`i*za"tion
n.
Serpentinous
(Ser"pen*ti`nous) a. Relating to, or like, serpentine; as, a rock serpentinous in character.
Serpentize
(Ser"pent*ize) v. i. To turn or bend like a serpent, first in one direction and then in the opposite; to
meander; to wind; to serpentine. [R.]
The river runs before the door, and serpentizes more than you can conceive.
Walpole. Serpentry
(Ser"pent*ry) n.
1. A winding like a serpent's.
2. A place inhabited or infested by serpents.
Serpent-tongued
(Ser"pent-tongued`) a. (Zoöl.) Having a forked tongue, like a serpent.
Serpet
(Ser"pet) n. [L. sirpus, scirpus, a rush, bulrush.] A basket. [Obs.] Ainsworth.
Serpette
(||Ser*pette") n. [F.] A pruning knife with a curved blade. Knight.
Serpiginous
(Ser*pig"i*nous) a. [Cf. F. serpigineux.] (Med.) Creeping; — said of lesions which heal
over one portion while continuing to advance at another.
Serpigo
(||Ser*pi"go) n. [LL., fr. L. serpere to creep.] (Med.) A dry, scaly eruption on the skin; especially,
a ringworm.
Serpolet
(Ser"po*let) n. [F.] (Bot.) Wild thyme.
Serpula
(||Ser"pu*la) n.; pl. Serpulæ E. Serpulas [L., a little snake. See Serpent.] (Zoöl.) Any one of
numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidæ.
They secrete a calcareous tube, which is usually irregularly contorted, but is sometimes spirally coiled.
The worm has a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculum
to close the aperture of its tube when it retracts.
Serpulian
(Ser*pu"li*an Ser*pu"li*dan) n. (Zoöl.) A serpula.
Serpulite
(Ser"pu*lite) n. A fossil serpula shell.
Serr
(Serr) v. t. [F. serrer. See Serry.] To crowd, press, or drive together. [Obs.] Bacon.
Serranoid
(Ser*ra"noid) n. [NL. Serranus, a typical genus (fr. L. serra a saw) + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Any fish
of the family Serranidæ, which includes the striped bass, the black sea bass, and many other food fishes.
— a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Serranidæ.