viperine

American  

[vahy-per-in, -puh-rahyn] / ˈvaɪ pər ɪn, -pəˌraɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a viper; venomous.

   a gossip with a viperine tongue.

---

Other Word Forms

• pseudoviperine
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of viperine

From the Latin word vīperīnus, dating back to 1540–50. See viper, -ine ¹

Example Sentences

This leads the writer on to the discussion of this singular hæmorrhagic process principally characteristic of viperine poisoning, and only very exceptionally produced by the poison of colubrines.

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

But he, “fearing the scoldings of his too tongue-banging wife more than God’s justice, and being, moreover, spell-bound by her viperine hissings,” affected utter innocence.

From Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln A Short Story of One of the Makers of Mediaeval England by Marson, Charles L. (Charles Latimer)

Here, among a number of viperine snakes of about the same size, is a snake that lives on eggs.

From The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 28, April 1893 An Illustrated Monthly by Newnes, George

These serpents constitute two tribes, the viperine serpents, or Solenoglypha, and the cobralike serpents, or Proteroglypha.

From The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary Section T, U, V, and W by Project Gutenberg

Thick and viperine, the thing looked, as it hurled forward.

From Son of Power by Comfort, Will Levington