schaapsteker
noun
schaap·ste·ker
variants or skaapsteker
ˈskäpˌstikə(r),
-tēk-
plural -s
: any of several inoffensive and generally harmless African back-fanged snakes: such as
a
: a snake (Trimerorhinus rhombeatus) irregularly marked in shades of brown
called also spotted schaapsteker
b
: a related snake (T. tritaeniatus) having two or three dark longitudinal bands on the grayish brown back
called also striped schaapsteker
c
: a sand snake of the genus Psammophis
Word History
Etymology
Afrikaans skaapsteker, from skaap sheep (from Dutch schaap, from Middle Dutch schaep) + steker one that stings or pricks, from Dutch, from steken to sting, prick + -er; akin to Old High German stehhan to sting, prick