Standard Lemma guide

grootslang

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A South African cryptid with the head of an elephant and the body of a snake, which reputedly eats elephants and hoards diamonds; one particular one (the Grootslang) is reputed to live in a cave in South Africa connected to the sea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Alternative letter-case form of grootslang, referring to the specific primordial, one which is reputed to live in a cave in South Africa connected to the sea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Afrikaans grootslang (“great snake”), from groot (“great, big”) + slang (“snake”).