Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Adder
Ad′der
,Noun.
[OE.
addere
, naddere
, eddre
, AS. nædre
, adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra
, OHG. natra
, natara
, Ger. natter
, Goth. nadrs
, Icel. naðr
, masc., naðra
, fem.: cf. W. neidr
, Gorn. naddyr
, Ir. nathair
, L. natrix
, water snake. An adder
is for a nadder
.] 1.
A serpent.
[Obs.]
“The eddre seide to the woman.” Wyclif. Gen. iii. 4. )
2.
(Zool.)
(a)
A small venomous serpent of the genus
Vipera
. The common European adder is the Vipera berus
or Pelias berus
. The puff adders of Africa are species of Clotho
. (b)
In America, the term is commonly applied to several harmless snakes, as the
milk adder
, puffing adder
, etc. (c)
Same as
Sea Adder
. ☞ In the sculptures the appellation is given to several venomous serpents, – sometimes to the horned viper (
Cerastles
). Webster 1828 Edition
Adder
AD'DER
,Noun.
A venomous serpent or viper, of several species.