VIPER
What does "VIPER" mean?
A venomous snake with long, hinged fangs that fold back when not in use.
Meanings
- Any of a family of venomous snakes (Viperidae) with long hollow fangs and often a triangular head. The hiker froze when she heard a viper rustle in the dry grass.
- A treacherous or spiteful person. He smiled like a friend, but he was a viper. figurative
Did you know?
- The name 'viper' is a fossil of an old belief: Latin 'vipera' likely shortens 'vivipara', 'bearing live young' - and indeed many vipers give live birth instead of laying eggs.
- A viper's fangs are folding switchblades: they lie flat against the roof of the mouth and rotate forward only at the moment of the strike.
Word origin
From Latin 'vipera' (snake), thought to be a contraction of 'vivipara', from 'vivus' (alive) plus 'parere' (to bring forth), reflecting the old belief that vipers bear live young.
Remember it
VIPER hides 'VIPE' (think 'wipe you out') - and the long I sounds like the hiss before the strike.
A little poem
Coiled in warm gravel-
the folded knives of its mouth
wait, patient as math.
haiku
What it teaches
The most dangerous threat keeps its weapons folded until the moment it strikes.
Quick facts
What does VIPER mean?
A venomous snake with long, hinged fangs that fold back when not in use.
Is VIPER a valid word?
Yes — VIPER is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is VIPER?
VIPER has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does VIPER come from?
From Latin 'vipera' (snake), thought to be a contraction of 'vivipara', from 'vivus' (alive) plus 'parere' (to bring forth), reflecting the old belief that vipers bear live young.
What can VIPER teach us?
The most dangerous threat keeps its weapons folded until the moment it strikes.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.