† wyvern.
Obsolete.
1. A viper. Also figurative and in figurative context.
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
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde iii. 1010 Ialousye..þat wikkede wyuere.
a1400 K. Alis. (Laud) 5609 Addres, guiures, & dragouns, Wolden þis folk..Envenymen & abite.
c1400 Partonope 7079 Now is he allone in þe wildernesse Amonge wyuerse and serpentes.
c1400 Partonope 7254 Maruk shewed hir grete lyons,..Dragons, Wyuers, and eke serpentes.
1532 (c1385) Usk's Test. Loue in Wks. G. Chaucer iii. f. ccclvii Wherfore..ye ne ought..accompte, thilke thynge [sc. jealousy] among these other welked wyners and venomous serpentes, as envy, mystrust, & yvel speche.
2. Heraldry. = wyvern n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > indication > insignia > heraldic devices collective > heraldic representations of creatures > [noun] > monsters
dragonc1330
griffina1400
yalec1425
mermaid1445
manticorec1470
cockatrice1513
mermaiden1538
opinicus1546
lituit1562
Pegasus1562
equicerve1572
harpy1572
lyciske1572
verme1572
wyver1599
merman1601
lion-dragon1610
lion-poisson1610
wyvern1610
Sagittarius1619
sagittary1632
man-fish1653
sea lion1661
satyral1724
man-tiger1780
sea-dog1780
Welsh dragon1799
camelopardel1830
satyr1845
serpivolant1866
sea monkey1909
1599 F. Thynne Animaduersions (1875) 41 A Wyuer is a kynde of serpent of good Bulke, not vnlyke vnto a dragon, of whose kinde he is, a thinge well knowen vnto the Heroldes, vsinge the same for armes, and crestes, & supporters.
1599 F. Thynne Animaduersions (1875) 42 The erle of Kent bearethe a wiuer for his Creste and supporters; the erle of Penbroke, a wiuer vert for his Creste.
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 293 A wiuer volant.
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 294 A Wyuer being the Armes of Hugh Brent Esquire.
1678 E. Phillips New World of Words (new ed.) Wyver, the name of an Animal, little known otherwise than as it is depicted in Blazonry.
3. wyver-fish n. some chimerical fish.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > supernatural being > mythical creature or object > [noun] > types of mythical fish
verme1572
scolopendra1590
land-fish1609
scolopender1658
wyver-fish1857
1857 G. Meredith Farina ix. 153 Upon that he [sc. the Demon] shot out his wings, that were like the fins of the wyver-fish, sharpened in venomous points.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.c1374