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

474 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

3 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

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

European dragon

vswivern

Literature

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

dragoness

vswivern

Literature

8.6

A female imaginary creature with wings that breathes fire

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

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.