Basilisk

Definitions: Basilisk

Basilisk

Noun

1. (classical mythology) a serpent (or lizard or dragon) able to kill with its breath or glance.

2. Ancient brass cannon.

3. Small crested arboreal lizard able to run on its hind legs; of tropical America.

Date "basilisk" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1380. (references)

Etymology: Basilisk \Bas"i*lisk\, noun. [Latin expression basiliscus, Greek little king, kind of serpent, diminutive of king; -- so named from some prominences on the head resembling crown.]. (Websters 1913)

Specialty Definitions: Basilisk

Domain	Definitions
Satire	BASILISK, n. The cockatrice. A sort of serpent hatched form the egg of a cock. The basilisk had a bad eye, and its glance was fatal. Many infidels deny this creature's existence, but Semprello Aurator saw and handled one that had been blinded by lightning as a punishment for having fatally gazed on a lady of rank whom Jupiter loved. Juno afterward restored the reptile's sight and hid it in a cave. Nothing is so well attested by the ancients as the existence of the basilisk, but the cocks have stopped laying. Source: Devil's Dictionary.
Bible	Basilisk (in R.V., Isa. 11:8; 14:29; 59:5; Jer. 8:17), the "king serpent," as the name imports; a fabulous serpent said to be three spans long, with a spot on its head like a crown. Probably the yellow snake is intended. (See COCKATRICE.). Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.
	Plunging his tusk in mastiff's gore: Or basilisk, when roused, whose breath, Teeth, sting, and eyeballs all are death." King: Art of Love. Source: Brewer's Dictionary.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Specialty Definition: Basilisk

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

A Basilisk (from the Greek basileus, a king) is a mythical reptile, reputed to be king of serpents, which is supposed to have the power of causing death by look alone. According to the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder, the basilisk is a small snake that is so poisonous that it leaves a wide trail of deadly venom in its wake, and its gaze is likewise venomous.

It is called a king from having on its head a mitre-shaped crest. In the same blood line as the cockatrice. The Basilisk is fabulously alleged to be hatched by a serpent or reptile from a cock's egg.

see also Greek mythology

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Basilisk."

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Synonyms within Context: Basilisk

Context	Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).
Arms	Gun, piece; firearms; artillery, ordnance; siege train, battering train; park, battery; cannon, gun of position, heavy gun, field piece, mortar, howitzer, carronade, culverin, basilisk; falconet, jingal, swivel, pederero, bouche a feu; petard, torpedo; mitrailleur, mitrailleuse; infernal machine; smooth bore, rifled cannon, Armstrong gun, Lancaster gun, Paixhan gun, Whitworth gun, Parrott gun, Krupp gun, Gatling gun, Maxim gun, machine gun; pompom; ten pounder.
Bad Man	Villain, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, budmash, caitiff; wretch, reptile, viper, serpent, cockatrice, basilisk, urchin; tiger, monster; devil; (demon); devil incarnate; demon in human shape, Nana Sahib; hellhound, hellcat; rakehell.
Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

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Crosswords: Basilisk

English words defined with "basilisk": Basilicok ♦ Lion lizard. (references)

Non-English Usage: "Basilisk" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses.

Afrikaan (basilisk, cockatrice), Dutch (basilisk, cockatrice), German (basilisk, cockatrice), Manx (basilisk), Swedish (basilisk, cockatrice).

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Modern Usage: Basilisk

Domain	Usage
Movie/TV Titles	The Basilisk (1914)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Commercial Usage: Basilisk

Domain	Title
Books	Basilisk (reference) Confronting the Basilisk (reference) Der Basilisk : Novelle (reference) On Basilisk Station (reference) Song for the Basilisk (reference) (more book examples)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Image Slideshow: Basilisk

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Usage Frequency: Basilisk

"Basilisk" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 88.89% of the time. "Basilisk" is used about 9 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)

Parts of Speech	Percent	Usage per 100 Million Words	Rank in English
Noun (singular)	88.89%	8	124,375
Lexical Verb (base form)	11.11%	1	339,140
Total	100.00%	9	N/A

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

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Expressions: Basilisk

Expressions using "basilisk": basilisk glance ♦ basilisk look. Additional references.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Frequency of Internet Keywords: Basilisk

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Expression	Frequency per Day
basilisk	190
basilisk lizard	59
basilisk ii	20
green basilisk	16
harry potter basilisk	9
basilisk picture	8
basilisk harry picture potter	7
brown basilisk	6
basilisk pic	5
plumed basilisk	3
basilisk lizard picture	3
radio basilisk	3
basilisk mythology	3
2 basilisk	3
basilisk creature type	3
basilisk green picture	3
basilisk care	2
basilisk emulator	2
basilisk mac	2
basilisk monster	2
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translations: Basilisk

Language		Translations for "basilisk"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Afrikaan		basilisk (cockatrice). (various references)

Albanian		vdekjeprurës (baneful, deadly, fatal, feral, homicidal, internecine, lethal, lethiferous, mortal, murderous, pestilent, pestilential, vital), lugat (bogey, boggard, Bogle, cockatrice, fright, hob, hobgoblin, spectre, turn-skin), i lig (bad, catty, despiteful, diabolic, diabolical, evil, evil-minded, felon, godless, iniquitous, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, nefarious, perverse, sinister, spiteful, vicious, wicked). (various references)

Arabic		‏البازيليسق حيوان زاحف خرافي. (various references)

Bulgarian		вид тропически гущер, базилиск (cockatrice). (various references)

Dutch		basilisk (cockatrice), basilicus (cockatrice), slangdraak (cockatrice), koningshagedis (cockatrice). (various references)

French		basilic (Basil, sweet basil). (various references)

German		Basilisk (cockatrice). (various references)

Greek		βασιλίσκοσ (kinglet), δράκων (dragon). (various references)

Hungarian		baziliszkusz (cockatrice), sárkánygyík, sárkány (airframe, brimstone, cockatrice, dragon, drake, kite, vixen, wyvern), koronás baziliszkusz gyík, igézõ (enthralling, entrancing). (various references)

Italian		basilisco (cockatrice). (various references)

Japanese Kanji		バイヤー法 (all-terrain vehicle, baccalaureat, bacteria, bacteriophage, Bagdad, baggy look, bagpipe, baguette, bass, bassoon, bath, baumkuchen, Bayer process, bazaar, bilingual, bind, binder, binding, bounce, bound, bow side, bucket, budget, bug, bug fix, bug list, bug report, bugbear, buggy, bus, by-line, holidays, honey wagon, pail, sand buggy, surf clam, vacation, vacuum, vacuum car, vacuum cleaner, vagabond, vagina). (various references)

Japanese Katakana		バシリスク . (various references)

Manx		basilisk. (various references)

Pig Latin		asiliskbay

Portuguese		lagarto (lizard). (various references)

Russian		роковой (fatal, fateful), гипнотизирующий, василиск (cockatrice). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian		bazilisk. (various references)

Spanish		basilisco. (various references)

Swedish		basilisk (cockatrice). (various references)

Turkish		basilikos ile ilgili, basilikos, mitolojik yılan, güney amerika kertenkelesi, şahmaran, ürkütücü (crawly, eerie, eery, frightening, gruesome, macabre, parlous, scary, spine-chilling, startling). (various references)

Ukranian		смертоносний (deadly, homicidal, internecine, lethal, murderous, pestilent, slaughterous), чарівний (admirable, adorable, alluring, amiable, appealing, captivating, charming, compelling, darling, delicious, delightful, elfish, elvish, enchanted, enchanting, engaging, entrancing, fairy, fascinating, glamorous, glamourous, goluptious, ingratiating, lovely, magic, magical, orphean, pretty), фатальний (deathly, fatal, fateful, fey, weird), василіск. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

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Ancestral Language Translations: Basilisk

Language	Period	Translations
Latin	500 BCE-Modern	basiliscum. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Bible Trace: Basilisk

Language	Date	Source	Isaiah Chapter 11, Verse 8
Greek (transliterated)	250 BC	Septuagint	Kai paidion nhpion epi trwglhn aspidwn kai epi koithn ekgonwn aspidwn thn ceira epibalei
Latin	405	Vulgate	Et delectabitur infans ab ubere super foramine aspidis et in caverna reguli qui ablactatus fuerit manum suam mittet
Middle English	1395	Wyclif	And the faunt, `or a soukande childe, shal deliten of the tete vp on the hole of the eddere, and in the caue of the kokatrice that shal be taken awei fro sok, `or wenyd, he shal putte his hond.
Jacobean English	1611	King James	And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
Victorian English	1833	Webster	And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the den of the basilisk.
Basic English	1964	Ogden	And the child at the breast will be playing by the hole of the snake, and the older child will put his hand on the bright eye of the poison-snake.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Matched Bible Translations: Basilisk

Language	Isaiah Chapter 11, Verse 8
Bulgarian	Сучещо дете ще играе над дупката на аспида; И отбито дете ще туря ръката си в гнездото на ехидна.
Cebuano	Ug ang mga bata nga masuso magadula sa lungag sa sawa, ug ang bata nga linutas mokuot sa langub sa halas nga bahion.
Chinese	喫奶的孩子必玩耍在虺蛇的洞口、斷奶的嬰 �' 必按手在 �' 蛇的穴上。
Croatian	Nad rupom gujinom igrat æe se dojenèe, sisanèe æe ruku zavlaèiti u leglo zmijinje.
Danish	den spæde skal lege ved Øglens Hul, den afvante række sin Hånd til Giftslangens Rede.
Dutch	En een zoogkind zal zich vermaken over het hol van een adder; en een gespeend kind zal zijn hand uitsteken in de kuil van den basilisk.
Finnish	Imeväinen leikittelee kyykäärmeen kololla, ja vieroitettu kurottaa kätensä myrkkyliskon luolaan.
French	Le nourrisson s`ébattra sur l`antre de la vipère, Et l`enfant sevré mettra sa main dans la caverne du basilic.
German	Und ein Säugling wird seine Lust haben am Loch der Otter, und ein Entwöhnter wird seine Hand stecken in die Höhle des Basilisken.
Haitian Creole	Ti bebe nan tete va jwe devan twou koulèv. Timoun fèk sevre va lonje men yo nan bouch twou sèpan san anyen p'ap rive yo.
Hungarian	És gyönyörködik a csecsszopó a viperák lyukánál, és a csecstõl elválasztott a baziliskus lyuka felett terjengeti kezét:
Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari	Bahkan seorang bayi takkan cedera bila bermain dekat ular berbisa.
Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama	Pada masa itu anak penyusu akan bermain dengan lobang ular biludak, dan kanak-kanak yang baharu lepas susu itu akan masukkan tangannya ke dalam lobang ular tedung.
Italian	Il lattante si trastuller� sulla buca dell'aspide; il bambino metter� la mano nel covo di serpenti velenosi.
Korean	� � 먹 �" 아 이 가 독 사 의 구 멍 에 서 장 난 하 며 � � 뗀 어 린 아 이 가 독 사 의 굴 에 손 을 넣 을 것 이 라
Maori	Ka takaro hoki te tamaiti ngote u i runga i te rua o te ahipi, a ka pa atu te ringa o te tamaiti kua whakamutua te kai u ki te nohoanga o te neke.
Modern Greek	Και το θηλαζον παιδιον θελει παιζει εις την τρυπαν της ασπιδος, και το απογεγαλακτισμενον παιδιον θελει βαλλει την χειρα αυτου εις την φωλεαν του βασιλισκου.
Norwegian	Diebarnet skal leke ved huggormens hule, og over basiliskens hull skal det avvente barn rekke ut sin hånd.
Portuguese	A criança de peito brincará sobre a toca da áspide, e a desmamada meterá a sua mão na cova do basilisco.
Rumanian	pruncul de ykyq se va juca la gura bortei nqpkrcii, wi copilul knyqrcat va bqga mkna kn vizunia basilicului.
Russian	й НМБ�"ЕОЕ�" �'Х�"ЕФ ЙЗТБФШ ОБ�" ОПТПА БУ� Й�"Б, Й �"ЙФС � ТПФСОЕФ ТХЛХ УЧПА ОБ ЗОЕЪ�"П ЪНЕЙ.
Spanish	Un niño de pecho jugará sobre el agujero de la cobra, y el recién destetado extenderá su mano sobre el escondrijo de la víbora.
Swedish	Ett spenabarn skall leka invid en huggorms hål och ett avvant barn sträcka ut sin hand efter basiliskens öga.
Thai	และทารกกินนมจะเล่นอยู่ที่ปากรูงูเห่า และเ�"็กที่หย่านมจะเอามือวางบนรังของงูทับทาง
Ukrainian	І буде бавитися немовлятко над діркою гада, і відняте від перс дитинча простягне свою руку над нору гадюки,
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Derivations & Misspellings: Basilisk

Derivations
	Words beginning with "basilisk": basilisks. (additional references)
Misspellings
	"Basilisk" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: basalis, Basileos, basili, basilik, basilike, Basilius. (additional references)
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Anagrams: Basilisk

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "a-b-i-i-k-l-s-s"
	-2 letters: alibis, basils, bialis, kiblas.
	-3 letters: alibi, bails, balks, basil, basis, basks, bassi, biali, bilks, bisks, bliss, isbas, kails, kibla, sails, sakis, sials, silks, sisal, slabs.
	-4 letters: ails, albs, asks, bail, balk, bals, bask, bass, bias, bilk, bisk, ibis, ilia, ilka, ilks, isba, kabs, kail, kiss, labs, lass, libs, sabs, sail, saki, sals, sial, sibs, silk, skas, skis, slab.
	-5 letters: abs, ail, ais, alb, als, ask, ass, bal, bas, bis, ilk, kab, kas, lab, las, lib, lis, sab, sal, sib, sis, ska, ski.
	Words containing the letters "a-b-i-i-k-l-s-s"
	+1 letter: basilisks.
	+5 letters: antiblackisms.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.