Phrase guide

death adder

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any snake of the genus Acanthophis, a group of highly venomous elapids found in Australia and New Guinea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A copperhead, a venomous pit viper species Agkistrodon contortrix, found in North America.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An eastern hognose snake, Heterodon platirhinos, a non-venomous colubrid species found in North America.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

venomous Australian snake resembling an adder

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Acanthophis antarcticus

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: elapid, elapid snake

History

Etymology

Sometimes suggested to derive from deaf adder, a colonial-era name for the snakes which referenced their tendency to remain in place (to ambush prey) rather than flee upon hearing human activity, but probably a simple reference to their venomousness.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese: 死亡蛇屬 /死亡蛇属 — Acanthophis
  • Dutch: doodsadders — Acanthophis
  • French: faiseur de mort — Acanthophis
  • German: Todesottern — Acanthophis
  • Hungarian: halálkígyó — Acanthophis
  • Limilngan: iyatdururr — Acanthophis
  • Lithuanian: mirtinosios gyvatės — Acanthophis
  • Norwegian: dødsorm — Acanthophis
  • Polish: zdradnica — Acanthophis
  • Russian: смерте́льная змея́ (smertélʹnaja zmejá) — Acanthophis
  • Spanish: víbora de la muerte — Acanthophis