cockatrice Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun monster hatched by a reptile from a cock's egg; able to kill with a glance

WordNet

Cock"a*trice noun
Etymology
OF. cocatrice crocodile, F. cocatrix, cocatrice. The word is a corruption from the same source as E. crocodile, but was confused with cock the bird, F. coq, whence arose the fable that the animal was produced from a cock's egg. See Crocodile.
Definitions
  1. A fabulous serpent whose breath and look were said to be fatal. See Basilisk.
    That bare vowel, I, shall poison more Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice. Shak.
  2. (Her.) A representation of this serpent. It has the head, wings, and legs of a bird, and tail of a serpent.
  3. (Script.) A venomous serpent which which cannot now be identified.
    The weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's Rev. Ver. basilisk's den. Is. xi. 8.
  4. Any venomous or deadly thing.
    This little cockatrice of a king. Bacon.

Webster 1913