wivern

9.9

A dragon with two legs, wings, and a long snake-like tail that breathes fire

noun

Literature

: wivern

Many noble families used the image of a wivern in their coats of arms to symbolize strength.

Examples

The knight's shield featured a fearsome wivern with outstretched wings and a flaming tongue.
In medieval stories, a wivern was said to guard a hidden treasure.
The wivern roared as it soared above the castle.
Many legends describe the fierce wivern guarding treasures.
In medieval stories, a wivern was said to guard a hidden treasure.
The knight's shield featured a fearsome wivern with outstretched wings and a flaming tongue.
Many noble families used the image of a wivern in their coats of arms to symbolize strength.

Synonyms

dragon

vswivern

Literature

521 2.0

A large imaginary animal like a giant lizard with wings that often breathes fire

is the specific heraldic two-legged type rather than the broad mythical group

wyvern

vswivern

Literature

2 9.9

A two-legged winged dragon with a spiked tail seen on old family crests

is the same meaning but spelled as an alternate form

firedrake

vswivern

Archaic

1 9.9

A large dragon from legends that breathes fire and often guards treasure

emphasizes two-legged heraldic form and serpentine tail rather than general legend

dragoness

vswivern

Literature

1 8.6

A female imaginary creature with wings that breathes fire

focuses on body form with two legs and heraldic tail rather than gender

European dragon

vswivern

Literature

1 7.0

A large winged lizard from European stories that breathes fire and hoards treasure

is narrower in use stressing two-legged heraldic shape and barbed tail

Surface Forms

wivern singular

wiverns plural

Etymology

The word wivern comes from an old word for a snake, the Latin vipera, which means 'viper'. Later, that dangerous 'viper' was shown with wings and two legs in stories and on shields, so a wivern is like a 'viper' turned into a small dragon that often breathes fire.