amphisbaena

amphisbaena
—amphisbaenian, amphisbaenic, amphisbaenoid, amphisbaenous, adj.
/am'feuhs bee"neuh/, n., pl. amphisbaenae /-nee/, amphisbaenas.
1. any of numerous worm lizards of the genus Amphisbaena.
2. Class. Myth. a serpent having a head at each end of its body and the ability to move forward or backward.
[1350-1400; ME amphibena < NL, L < Gk amphísbaina a serpent that moves forward or backward, equiv. to amphís both ways + baín(ein) to go + -a n. suffix]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Amphisbaena — Amphisbaena …   Wikipédia en Français

  • AMPHISBAENA — serpentis nomen, in Libyae desertis degentis duo habentis capita, quorum alterum locô suô est, alterum ubi cauda, unde utrinque venenum diffundit. Lucan. l. 9. v. 719. Et gravis in geminum surgens caput Amphisbaena. Aeschylus in Agamemnone:… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • amphisbaena — [am΄fis bē′nə] n. [ME amphibena < L amphisbaena < Gr amphisbaina < amphis, on both sides (see AMPHI ) + bainein, to go: see COME] Gr. & Rom. Myth. a serpent with a head at each end of its body …   English World dictionary

  • Amphisbaena — Am phis*b[ae] na, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?; ? on both ends + ? to go.] 1. A fabled serpent with a head at each end, moving either way. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) A genus of harmless lizards, serpentlike in form, without legs, and with both… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Amphisbaena — Amphisbaena, s. Blödauge und Doppelschleiche …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Amphisbaena — Amphisbaena …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Amphisbaena — This article is about the mythological creature. See Amphisbaenia for information on the suborder and Amphisbaena (lizard) for the genus. Amphisbaena Amphisbaena ( …   Wikipedia

  • Amphisbaena — Das Wort Amphisbaena bezeichnet ein Fabelwesen: Amphisbaena (Fabelwesen) eine Tiergattung innerhalb der Doppelschleichen: Amphisbaena (Zoologie) Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort beze …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • amphisbaena — n. 1 Mythol. & poet. a fabulous serpent with a head at each end. 2 Zool. any burrowing wormlike lizard of the family Amphisbaena, having no apparent division of head from body making both ends look similar. Etymology: ME f. L f. Gk amphisbaina f …   Useful english dictionary

  • Amphisbaena — n. 1 Mythol. & poet. a fabulous serpent with a head at each end. 2 Zool. any burrowing wormlike lizard of the family Amphisbaena, having no apparent division of head from body making both ends look similar. Etymology: ME f. L f. Gk amphisbaina f …   Useful english dictionary

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