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pit viper
noun
: any of various mostly New World vipers (subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae) with a sensory pit on each side of the head and hollow perforated retractable fangs
Examples of pit viper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On top of that, many snakes, including pit vipers, have infrared vision.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024
Specifically that means pit vipers, which includes timber rattlesnakes (found in Connecticut) and copperheads and water moccasins.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2024
This behavior might stem from the presence of several nearby predators, including larger geckos and pit vipers, the study said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 3 June 2024
The new species, compared to other pit vipers, has slightly smaller males while females are a bit bigger than others, according to the study.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1874, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pit viper
Cite this Entry
“Pit viper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pit%20viper. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
pit viper
noun
: any of various mostly New World poisonous snakes that have a small pit on each side of the head and hollow fangs with holes in them
Medical Definition
pit viper
noun
: any of various mostly New World highly specialized venomous snakes (as the rattlesnake, copperhead, water moccasin, and fer-de-lance) that belong to a subfamily (Crotalinae) of the family Viperidae, that have a small depression on each side of the head between the eye and the nostril, and that have hollow perforated fangs usually folded back in the upper part of the mouth but erected in striking
More from Merriam-Webster on pit viper
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for pit viper
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pit viper
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