wyvern

or wi·vern

[ wahy-vern ]

noun

1. a two-legged winged dragon having the back part of a serpent with a barbed tail.

wyvern

/ ˈwaɪvən /

noun

1. a heraldic beast having a serpent's tail and a dragon's head and a body with wings and two legs

Word History and Origins

Origin of wyvern¹

1600–10; alteration (with unexplained -n ) of earlier wyver, Middle English < Anglo-French wivre ( Old French guivre ) < Latin vīpera viper

Word History and Origins

Origin of wyvern¹

C17: variant of earlier wyver, from Old French, from Latin vīpera viper

Example Sentences

Gryphons and foxes and wyverns stare at him with glossy black eyes.

From Literature

My words-of-the-day—like “stupendous” and “wyvern,” the dragon—are of no help.

From Literature

When Werfel arrived, the Foreign Secretary was just giving the order for the three-headed wyvern to collect the capsule out of the sky and bring it gently, softly, safely down to the ground.

From Literature

Mean-eyed dragons, amphibious leonine creatures, bat-like wyverns that puff themselves up like fluffy hamsters – Monster Hunter World’s creatures are amazing, and hunting them with a selection of overblown, cartoonish weapons is incredible fun.

From The Guardian

Four-legged dragons—not vicious, bipedal wyverns like those on the royal seal.

From Literature