hognose viper
hognose viper Lexical Profile
• noun
A small, venomous pit viper (family Viperidae, typically of the genus Porthidium) native to the tropical forests of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, characterized by a distinctively upturned, fleshy snout.
"During our herpetological survey in the Costa Rican rainforest, we carefully documented a well-camouflaged hognose viper resting in the leaf litter."
Word Nuance & Usage
Care should be taken not to confuse the highly venomous hognose viper of Central and South America with the entirely distinct and generally harmless 'hognose snake' native to North America.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derives its common name from its prominent, upturned snout resembling that of a pig, combined with the word 'viper' from the Latin 'vipera'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.