pharaoh's serpent
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A chemical toy consisting of sulpho-cyanide of mercury, which fuses into a serpentine shape when lighted; so called in allusion to the magic serpents of Exod. vii, 9-12.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “pharaoh's serpent” mean?
A chemical toy consisting of sulpho-cyanide of mercury, which fuses into a serpentine shape when lighted; so called in allusion to the magic serpents of Exod. vii, 9-12.
Is “pharaoh's serpent” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.