Dictionary

amphisbaena en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /æmfɪsˈbiːnə/

Etymology

From Latin amphisbaena, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίσβαινα (amphísbaina, from ἀμφίς (amphís, “both ways”) + βαίνω (baínō, “to go”)).

Meanings

1. A mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body, able to move in either direction.
   • 1971: What do you call that animal that goes backward and forward, head at each end? —'Amphisbaena'. A kind of lizard. It doesn't exist. — Anthony Burgess, M/F (Penguin 2004, p. 109)
2. A member of a genus of lizards, native to the Americas, having extremities which are very similar.

Forms

Deriveds

amphisbaenic

Translations (10)

ru амфисбены (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · ru амфисбена (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · ca amfisbena (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · pt anfisbena (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · hy ամֆիսբենա (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · pa ਦੁਮੂੰਹੀ (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · fr amphisbène (any member of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards) · pt anfisbena (any member of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards) · it anfesibena (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body) · fr amphisbène (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body)