-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
horned viper
noun
: a venomous viper (Cerastes cerastes synonym C. cornutus) of North Africa and the Middle East having a horny process over each eye
Examples of horned viper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Spider-tailed horned viper photo by Omid Mozaffari (video and more information here).
—Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2014
The Saharan horned viper and the sidewinding adder of the Namib desert — which are closely related — have belly scales with uniform pits and no spikes.
—New York Times, 1 Feb. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Word History
First Known Use
1767, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near horned viper
Cite this Entry
“Horned viper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horned%20viper. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Medical Definition
horned viper
noun
: a common desert-dwelling viper (Aspis cornutus) of Egypt and Asia Minor characterized by a horny scale resembling a spike above each eye
More from Merriam-Webster on horned viper
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for horned viper
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about horned viper
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share