Phrase guide

snake in the grass

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈsneɪk ɪn ðə ˈɡɹɑːs/
  • General-American: /ˈsneɪk ɪn ðə ˈɡɹæs/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑːs
  • rhymes with -æs

1

noun

Meaning 1

A hidden enemy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: backstabber, wolf in sheep's clothing, betrayer, cockatrice, double-crosser, quisling, rat, ratter, recreant, renegade, serpent, snake, snake in the grass, swike, traitor, treacher, treacherer, treasonist, turntippet, withersake

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a deceitful or treacherous person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: snake

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bad person

History

Etymology

Calque of Latin latet anguis in herbā (literally “a snake hides in the grass”), from Eclogue III by the Roman poet Virgil (traditionally 70 – 19 B.C.E.). Compare Dutch addertje onder het gras.