Meanings
plural amphipteres · alternative amphithere · alternative amphitere
- fantasyA type of winged serpent, with two bat-like wings and typically with no other limbs.
Plate G 1. Salamander. 2. Bars indorsed. 3. Bat. 4. Amphiptere. 5. Ram's head.
1903, Jean Baptista Rietstap, Armoires des familles contenues dans l'armorial général, l'Institut héraldique universel2 more examples
Winged serpents are also borne in heraldry [...]. These are the "amphiptere" of French blazonry.
1915, Guy Cadogan Rothery, A. B. C. of Heraldry, page 68Azure, an amphiptere or, rising between two mountains argent, are the arms of Camoens, the Portuguese poet.
1969, John Vinycomb, Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Art, Library of Alexandria, →ISBN
Origin
- Frenchamphiptère
- Englishamphiptere
Borrowed from French amphiptère, from Ancient Greek ἀμφί (amphí, “amphi-”) + πτερόν (pterón, “wing”). Compare amphisbaena (French amphisbène).
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 翼蛇
- 翼蛇Translations
Czech amfiptéra
- amfiptéraTranslations
French amphiptère, amphistère
- amphiptèreTranslations
- amphistèreTranslations
- amphystèreTranslations
Italian anfittero
- anfitteroTranslations
Japanese アンピプテラ
- アンピプテラTranslations
Portuguese anfíptero, anfíptera
- anfípteroTranslations
- anfípteraTranslations
Spanish anfíptero
- anfípteroTranslations
Cite this entry
amphiptere. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphiptere
“amphiptere.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphiptere. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “amphiptere,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphiptere.
Source: amphiptere on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.