puff adder

noun

Definition of puff adder

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

2 : hognose snake

Recent Examples of puff adder from the Web

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

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'puff adder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of puff adder

1789

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

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