viperidn.adj.
/ˈvʌɪpərɪd/ Zoology.
A. n.
A snake of the family Viperidæ, which comprises the true vipers and in most modern classifications the pit vipers, all venomous snakes having hinged maxillary bones, that are toothless except for a fang that is folded back in the mouth when not in use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [noun] > family Viperidae (vipers) > member of
addereOE
wyverc1374
viper1802
viperine1887
viperid1909
1909 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. Viperid a. & n.
1956 L. M. Klauber Rattlesnakes II. xi. 716 The viperids were evolved directly from primitive aglyphous ancestors, rather than from either opisthoglyphs or proteroglyphs.
1965 R. Morris & D. Morris Men & Snakes iv. 97 Generally speaking, the viperids are not as dangerous to man as the cobras and mambas, yet in some ways the symptoms of viperine poisoning are even more alarming.
1977 A. Hallam Planet Earth 272 The elapids..and the viperids..are both first known from the Miocene.
B. adj.
Of or pertaining to this family.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > reptiles > order Squamata (lizards and snakes) > suborder Ophidia (snakes) > types of snake > [adjective] > of or relating to family Viperidae
viperine1802
viperid1909
1909 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. Viperid a. & n.
1969 A. Bellairs Life of Reptiles i. v. 193 It has been suggested that the viperid or solenoglyph type of jaw was derived from that of opisthoglyphs.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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n.adj.1909