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| vi·per [ vpər ] (plural vi·pers) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. poisonous snake: a snake with hollow fangs that it uses to inject venom into its victim when it bites. Native to: Europe, Asia, Africa. Family Viperidae.
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2. reptiles
Same as adder2
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3. poisonous snake not of viper family: a poisonous snake belonging to a family other than that of the true viper, e.g. the horned viper
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4. zoology
Same as pit viper
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5. offensive term: an offensive term for somebody who is considered to be malicious, treacherous, or ungrateful
(
offensive literary
)
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| [Early 16th century. Via Old French vipere< Latin vipera "snake," contraction of assumed vivipera "live-bearing" (from the ancient belief that snakes bore live young) < vivus "alive"] |
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  vi·per·ous adjective |
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