any of several non-venomous, North American colubrid snakes, esp. rat snakes of the genus Pantherophis, which can feed on chickens and their eggs.

Designating any of various snakes likened to or identified with that in the emblem of Aesculapius (a serpent entwined around a staff); (in later use)…

spec. Any of several North American colubrid snakes of the genera Elaphe and Lampropeltis, esp. the milk snake, L. triangulum.

any of various harmless constricting snakes of the genera Ptyas, Elaphe, and some other genera of the family Colubridae, which feed on rats and…

Any of several rat snakes (genus Elaphe), spec. the black rat snake, E. obsoleta, a large constricting snake of eastern North America (also called pi…

a large harmless snake of the United States (Elaphe vulpina).