cerastes

[ suh-ras-teez ]

noun

, plural ce·ras·tes.

1. any of several small vipers of the genus Cerastes, including the horned viper, that have a sideways looping motion like that of a sidewinder and inhabit deserts of northern Africa and southwestern Asia.

cerastes

/ səˈræstiːz /

noun

1. any venomous snake of the genus Cerastes, esp the horned viper

Word History and Origins

Origin of cerastes¹

1768; < New Latin < Greek kerástēs literally, something horned, equivalent to kerat- stem of kéras horn + -tēs noun suffix; earlier in sense “asp,” Middle English < Medieval Latin, Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of cerastes¹

C16: from Latin: horned serpent, from Greek kerastēs horned, from keras horn

Example Sentences

The rattlesnake Crotalus cerastes is venomous to humans.

From Seattle Times

Furthermore, it was only sidewinding rattlesnakes - a species called Crotalus cerastes - that used this strategy.

From BBC

The researchers observed the venomous sidewinder rattlesnake species Crotalus cerastes, a denizen of the southwestern United States, as it moved in a large enclosure at Zoo Atlanta filled with sand from the Arizona desert.

From Reuters

In Egypt, on the other hand, the cobra, the asp, and the cerastes are as numerous as ever, and are much dreaded by all the natives, except the professional snake charmers.

From Project Gutenberg

Some think one hieroglyph is a cerastes, but Dr. Birch says the group probably consisted of a harpoon and three vertical lines—a common sign of plurality.

From Project Gutenberg