moccasin Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun soft leather shoe; originally worn by Native Americans
    mocassin.

WordNet

Moc"ca*sin noun
Etymology
An Indian word. Algonquin makisin.
Definitions
  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. (Zoöl.) 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.

Webster 1913