Meanings
plural amphisbaenas · alternative amphisbæna
- human sciencesA mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body, able to move in either direction.
1971: What do you call that animal that goes backward and forward, head at each end? —'Amphisbaena'. A kind of lizard. It doesn't exist. — Anthony Burgess, M/F (Penguin 2004, p. 109)
- A member of a genus of lizards, native to the Americas, having extremities which are very similar.
Origin
- Ancient Greekἀμφίσβαινα
- Latinamphisbaena
- Englishamphisbaena
From Latin amphisbaena, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίσβαινα (amphísbaina, from ἀμφίς (amphís, “both ways”) + βαίνω (baínō, “to go”)).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan amfisbena
- amfisbenamythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
French amphisbène, amphisbène
- amphisbènemythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
- amphisbèneany member of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards
Italian anfesibena
- anfesibenamythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
Portuguese anfisbena, anfisbena
- anfisbenamythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
- anfisbenaany member of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards
Punjabi ਦੁਮੂੰਹੀ
- ਦੁਮੂੰਹੀ (dumū̃hī)mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
Russian амфисбена, амфисбены
- амфисбена (amfisbena)mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
- амфисбены (amfisbeny)mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body
Cite this entry
amphisbaena. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphisbaena
“amphisbaena.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphisbaena. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “amphisbaena,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/amphisbaena.
Source: amphisbaena on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.