puff adder
a large, thick-bodied, African viper, Bitis arietans, that inflates its body and hisses when disturbed.
a similar viper, B. inornata, native to southern Africa.
Origin of puff adder
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use puff adder in a sentence
It is a specimen—a very rare specimen—of the South African puff-adder.
Mr. Punch In Society | VariousWe have another dangerous serpent, the puff adder, and several vipers.
Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa | David LivingstoneWe shot a large puff-adder, to prevent it from killing men; you may see it lying dead on the beach.
They were all small and only two, a puff adder and a little viper, were known to be venomous.
In Africa | John T. McCutcheonThe larger snake is as highly poisonous as the common puff-adder, and quite as much dreaded.
Sporting Scenes amongst the Kaffirs of South Africa | Alfred W. Drayson
British Dictionary definitions for puff adder
a large venomous African viper, Bitis arietans, that is yellowish-grey with brown markings and inflates its body when alarmed
another name for hognose snake
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
Browse