ophidian
adjective·/oʊˈfɪd.i.ən/
Snake-like; serpentine in form, motion, or suggestion. Ophidian carries the animal in it, sleekness with an undertone of instinct and unease.
An ophidian shadow slid through the grass, and the birds adjusted their songs without stopping them.
noun
A snake; any member of the serpent kind (technical; rare in general prose).
The field guide distinguished each ophidian by scale and eye, as if naming could make fear orderly.
Etymology
From Greek ophis “snake,” through Latinized scientific usage. The root is ancient and blunt; the adjective is a later polish on old dread and fascination.
Related Words
serpentinea close synonym, often more decorative
ophitestone patterned like serpent skin; shared root
reptilianbroader category; less specific
draconicdragonlike; mythic neighbor in the same bestiary