viperine
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of viperine
From the Latin word vīperīnus, dating back to 1540–50. See viper, -ine 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By far the most numerous are three genera of viperine snakes, including the rattlesnakes and moccasins; all of these have a pit-like depression between the nose and eyes, and hence are called pit-vipers.
From Health on the Farm A Manual of Rural Sanitation and Hygiene by H. F. (Henry Fauntleroy) Harris
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 Charles L. (Charles Latimer) Marson
Thick and viperine, the thing looked, as it hurled forward.
From Son of Power by Will Levington Comfort
Like other viperine bites, however, it so affects the surrounding flesh that blood poisoning may follow days after the first crisis has been passed.
From Wings of the Wind by Credo Fitch Harris
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
