kəˈlübrəˌdē noun plural
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Colubr-, Coluber, type genus + -idae
1. : a very large cosmopolitan family of nonvenomous terrestrial, arboreal, or sometimes aquatic snakes with aglyphous teeth in both jaws, imbricating scales, and reduced postfrontal bones
2. in some especially former classifications : a more inclusive family in which Colubridae is merged as a subfamily as are also the families Acrochordidae and Dasypeltidae of aglyphous snakes, Boigidae, Elachistodontidae, and Homalopsidae of venomous opisthoglyphous snakes, and sometimes Elapidae and Hydrophidae of venomous proteroglyphous snakes