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Glite Dictionary
Viperidae

Viperidae

9.9
A group of venomous snakes in Europe, Asia, and Africa with long hinged fangs
  • noun
  • /ˌvaɪpəˈrɪdiː/
  • Specialized
: Viperidae
  • Most Viperidae are known for their long, hinged fangs, which they use to inject venom into their prey.

Examples

  • The Viperidae family includes several venomous species that are found in Europe and Asia.

  • Researchers discovered a new species of Viperidae in the mountains of Southeast Asia.

  • Members of the Viperidae are characterized by their long, hinged fangs.

  • The forested regions of Africa are home to several species within the Viperidae family.

  • The Viperidae family includes many well-known species.

  • Are Viperidae snakes dangerous to humans?

  • In Africa, some Viperidae snakes have distinctive patterns that help them blend into their surroundings.

Synonyms

viper
vsViperidae
38 7.2

A venomous snake with long hollow fangs that inject venom

refers to the whole family grouping of these snakes not just one animal

Surface Forms

Viperidae singular
Viperidaes plural

Morphology

Viperidae = viper (semi-transparent) = viper + idae

The relation to 'viper' is clear, but '-idae' is a technical taxonomic suffix (specialized and not productive in everyday English), so the formation is only partly transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Viperidae comes from the common word viper, which means 'poisonous snake', and the scientific ending -idae, which means 'group' or 'family', so Viperidae is the family or group of vipers, the poisonous snakes known for their long, hinged fangs.