Shape Serpentine is a term used to describe a type of curved line or shape. It is often used in art and design, as well as in architecture and engineering. The term is derived from the Latin word for snake, serpens, which is where the term serpentine comes from. ESS is an abbreviation for the word 'ESSENCE, ' which means the fundamental nature or most important quality of something. In this case, it refers to the essential nature of the shape serpentine.