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Definition of sand viper
sand viper
Plural:sand vipers
• noun
1
Any of several venomous snakes adapted to desert environments, particularly the horned vipers of the genus Cerastes native to North Africa and the Middle East, known for burying themselves in loose sand to ambush prey.
Example
"The biologist carefully documented how the sand viper used sidewinding to navigate the shifting dunes of the Sahara."
2
The nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes), a highly venomous snake found across southern Europe, the Balkans, and parts of the Middle East, often inhabiting dry, rocky, or sandy terrains.
Example
"Hikers in the Mediterranean scrubland are advised to wear sturdy boots as protection against the resident sand viper."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for sand viper• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sand viper. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sand%20viper