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Definition of european adder

european adder

Plural:European adders
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european adder Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A widely distributed venomous snake (Vipera berus) native to varied terrains across Europe and northern Asia, typically characterized by a distinct dark zigzag pattern along its back.

Example

"While hiking in the Scottish Highlands, the guide advised us to watch our step to avoid disturbing a basking European adder."

Word Origin & Etymology

The term combines the proper adjective 'European' with 'adder', which stems from the Old English 'nædre' (meaning 'serpent' or 'snake'). Through a historical linguistic process called rebracketing, 'a nadder' eventually became 'an adder'.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of European adder. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/european adder
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