water adder
English
Alternative forms
- water-adder, wateradder
Etymology
From Middle English water addre, watyradyr, watir edyr, alteration (see adder) of water neddyr, watyrnedyre, from Old English wæternædre, wæternǣdre, equivalent to water + adder. Cognate with Dutch wateradder (“wateradder”), German Wassernatter (“watersnake”).
Noun
water adder (plural water adders)
- Any of several aquatic snakes (none of which are true adders) including, among others:
- A non-venomous European ringed snake or water snake (Natrix natrix).
- A venomous American cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus).
- A non-venomous American northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon)
- A venomous South Asian crab-eating water snake (Fordonia leucobalia)
Hypernyms
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