night-adder, noun
- Origin:
- English, South African DutchShow more English interpretation of South African Dutch nachtslang, nacht night + slang snake.
1. Any of several nocturnal snakes of the genus Causus of the Viperidae, especially the common night-adder Causus rhombeatus; nachtslang sense 1. 2. Any of several nocturnal snakes of the Colubridae, especially the aurora snake, Lamprophis aurora, and the herald, Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia; nachtslang sense 3.
1816 G. Barker Journal. 12 JulyWorked at my peice [sic] of Land, Killed the first serpent I had seen alive in Africa, called a Night Adder.
1989 J. Hobbs Thoughts in Makeshift Mortuary 86One of our sergeants killed a night-adder by the fence this morning.
Any of several nocturnal snakes of the genus Causus of the Viperidae, especially the common night-adder Causus rhombeatus; nachtslang sense 1.
Any of several nocturnal snakes of the Colubridae, especially the aurora snake, Lamprophis aurora, and the herald, Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia; nachtslang sense 3.
Visualise Quotations
Quotation summarySenses
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.