viper

[ vahy-per ]
See synonyms for: viperviperish on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. any of several venomous Old World snakes of the genus Vipera, especially V. berus, a small snake common in northern Eurasia.

  2. any related snakes belonging to the family Viperidae, characterized by erectile, venom-conducting fangs.

  1. any of various venomous or supposedly venomous snakes.

  2. a malignant or spiteful person.

  3. a false or treacherous person.

  4. Viper, Military. a 9-pound (4-kilogram), shoulder-launched, unguided U.S. Army antitank rocket with an effective range of 273 yards (250 meters).

Idioms about viper

  1. to nourish a viper in one's bosom, to befriend a person who proves to be treacherous.

Origin of viper

1
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin vīpera, variant of unattested vīvipera, noun use of feminine of unattested vīviper, later (as re-formation) vīviparus “bringing forth live young”; see vivi-, -parous

Other words from viper

  • vi·per·ish, adjective
  • vi·per·ish·ly, adverb

Words Nearby viper

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use viper in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for viper

viper

/ (ˈvaɪpə) /


noun
  1. any venomous Old World snake of the family Viperidae, esp any of the genus Vipera (the adder and related forms), having hollow fangs in the upper jaw that are used to inject venom

  2. any of various other snakes, such as the horned viper

  1. a malicious or treacherous person

Origin of viper

1
C16: from Latin vīpera, perhaps from vīvus living + parere to bear, referring to a tradition that the viper was viviparous

Derived forms of viper

  • viper-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012