deaf adder
/dɛf ˈadə/noun
1In Biblical translation or allusion: an asp or other snake, regarded as deaf or wilfully unhearing.
- With reference to Psalm 58:4..
2 English regional ( southern ). The slow-worm, Anguis fragilis.
3Any of certain (venomous or non-venomous) snakes, especially (a) Australian a death adder (genus Acanthophis); (b) US the copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix (now rare ).
Origin
Old English; earliest use found in The Vespasian Psalter. From deaf + adder, originally after post-classical Latin aspis surda (Vulgate: Roman Psalter, Gallican Psalter), itself after Hebrew p̄eṯen-hērēš (Psalm 58:4; from p̄eṯen viper, adder + hērēš deaf).
- misconceiver
- misconcept
- misconception
- misconclude
- misconclusion
- misconduct
- misconduct penalty
- misconfiguration
- misconfigure
- misconjecture
- misconjunction
- misconnection
- misconsecration
- misconstruable
- misconstrual
- misconstruct
- misconstruction
- misconstructive
- misconstrue
- miscontent
- psellism
- psephism
- psephisma
- psephite
- psephitic