Basilisk is a noun and defined as a legendary reptile with fatal breath and glance. The term basilisk derives from the Greek word basilískos meaning “little king” or “young ruler.” The Greek word basilískos can be further broken down into the words basileús and -ískos, which in English can be translated to “king” and “diminutive”, respectively.
The famous historian Pliny the Elder references the basilisk of Cyrene in Naturalis Historia, his collection of short stories. In these stories, Pliny describes the basilisk as a small, venomous snake with a lethal gaze.
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