basilisk

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 26, 2009 is: basilisk • \BASS-uh-lisk\ • adjective : suggesting a legendary reptile with fatal breath and glance : baleful, spellbinding Examples: Trina leveled a basilisk glare at me after I told her what had happened to her car. Did you know? In Hellenic and Roman legend, a basilisk (also called a cockatrice) was a serpent-like creature capable of destroying other creatures by way of its deadly stare. The modern basilisk is a lizard that belongs to the family Iguanidae and supposedly resembles this fabled monster; it has a large, inflatable crest atop its head and is sometimes called a “Jesus Christ lizard” for its ability to run quickly across the surface of water. The use of “basilisk” as an adjective occurs most frequently in phrases such as “basilisk stare”; recalling the notorious gaze of the legendary basilisk, it describes the deep and piercing look of someone who is frightening or seductive. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.