Definition of "basilisk" [bas•i•lisk]

• A legendary serpent or dragon with lethal breath and glance. (noun)
• Any of various tropical American lizards of the genus Basiliscus, characterized by a crest on the head, back, and tail and the ability to run on the hind legs. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The basilisk is the enemy of the yale, and if it finds the yale asleep it stings it between the eyes, causing its eyes to swell until they burst."
• "There was the completion of the circle: the basilisk was a small lizard, but its glance could stun or kill other creatures."
• "As he spoke he realized something that had not quite surfaced before: the basilisk was a magical creature that could do magic."