puff adder

noun

Definition of puff adder

1 : a large thick-bodied extremely venomous African viper (Bitis arietans)

2 : hognose snake

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So Glaudas and Alexander captured 86 puff adders, implanted tiny radio transmitters into their bodies, and tracked their movements inside Dinokeng Game Reserve. — Carrie Arnold, National Geographic, "Deadly Snake Wags Tongue to Lure Its Prey—A First," 3 Feb. 2017 Take the South African puff adder Bitis arietans, which mimics an insect's movements by wagging its tongue slowly and deliberately to attract nearby amphibians. — National Geographic, "How Snakes, Spiders, and Other Predators Fool Their Prey," 16 Feb. 2017 On the film, a puff adder (Bitis arietans) had extended its tongue, leaving the tip curled up—unlike the usual flicking in and out to sense its surroundings. — Carrie Arnold, National Geographic, "Deadly Snake Wags Tongue to Lure Its Prey—A First," 3 Feb. 2017

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The first known use of puff adder was in 1789

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puff adder

noun

Medical Definition of puff adder

: a large thick-bodied exceedingly venomous widely distributed African viper (Bitis arietans) that inflates its body and hisses loudly when disturbed also : a similar smaller snake (B. inornata) of southern Africa