What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Serpent vs Adder - What's the difference?

serpent | adder |

In obsolete terms the difference between serpent and adder

is that serpent is to wind; to encircle while adder is a snake.

As a verb serpent

is to wind; to encircle.

serpent

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A snake.
  • (label) An obsolete wind instrument in the brass family, whose shape is suggestive of a snake ().
  • (label) A subtle, treacherous, malicious person.
  • A kind of firework with a serpentine motion.

    • Related terms

    * serpentine * Old Serpent

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To wind; to encircle.
    • (Evelyn)

    See also

    * herpetology * lizard * reptile * snake

    Anagrams

    * * * ----

    adder

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) addere, misdivision of naddere, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A snake.
  • A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling the viper; a viper.
  • (chiefly, British) A small venomous serpent of the genus Vipera . The (common European adder) is the .
  • (US, Canada) Any of several small nonvenomous snakes resembling the adder, such as the milk snake.
  • The sea-stickleback or adder-fish.
    • Derived terms
    * adder-fish * puff adder

    Etymology 2

    (add).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone who or something which performs arithmetic addition; a machine for adding numbers.
  • Something which adds or increases.
    • They sought out cost adders with an eye toward eliminating them.
    Derived terms
    * carry-lookahead adder * carry-save adder * carry-skip adder * full adder * half adder

    Anagrams

    * * * English agent nouns English nouns which have interacted with their indefinite article ----