cerastes

C3E1R1A1S1T1E1S1
/səˈɹæstiːz/

noun

A very flexible horned serpent in Greek legend, said to have no spine and to hide its head in the sand awaiting prey.

Similar
horned vipersand viperhorned aspCerastes cornutus
OriginAncient Greek κεράστης →
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Meanings

nouncerastes (plural cerastae)

plural cerastae

  1. human sciencesA very flexible horned serpent in Greek legend, said to have no spine and to hide its head in the sand awaiting prey.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounhighly venomous viper of northern Africa and southwestern Asia having a horny spine above each eye

Similar
horned vipersand viperhorned aspCerastes cornutus
Broader
viper
Also see
horned vipersand viper

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκεράστης
  2. Englishcerastes

From Ancient Greek κεράστης (kerástēs).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

cateress
Cite this entry
APA

cerastes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cerastes

MLA

“cerastes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cerastes. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cerastes,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cerastes.

Source: cerastes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.