death adder

American  

noun

1. either of two highly venomous elapid snakes of the genus Acanthophis, of Australia and New Guinea, having a stout body and broad head.

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death adder British  

noun

1. a venomous Australian elapid snake, Acanthophis antarcticus, resembling an adder

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Etymology

Origin of death adder

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

death adder

To investigate, Ms. Folwell set about dissecting the tail of a female death adder.

From New York Times ● Dec. 13, 2022

Fry survived his encounter with the death adder thanks to a snakebite kit containing injectable adrenaline and antihistamines, as well as a quick-thinking friend who raced him to the hospital.

From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2021

He had just been bitten by a death adder, one of Australia's most venomous snakes.

From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2021

Now, scientists have finally identified the new species of death adder, Acanthophis cryptamydros, which lives in the northwestern corner of the continent.

From National Geographic ● Sep. 29, 2015

Still there can be no doubt that even this small quantity of the justly dreaded death adder poison would have proved fatal, if it had not been counteracted by the antidote.

From On Snake-Poison: its Action and its Antidote by Mueller, A.