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moccasin

1. A shoe made of deerskin, or other soft leather, the sole and upper part being one piece. It is the customary shoe worn by the American indians.

2. (Science: zoology) A poisonous snake of the southern united states. The water moccasin (Ancistrodon piscivorus) is usually found in or near water. Above, it is olive brown, barred with black; beneath, it is brownish yellow, mottled with darker. The upland moccasin is Ancistrodon atrofuscus. They resemble rattlesnakes, but are without rattles.

(Science: botany) Moccasin flower, a species of lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule) found in North America. The lower petal is two inches long, and forms a rose-coloured moccasin-shaped pouch. It grows in rich woods under coniferous trees.

Origin: Sometimes written moccason.