Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Adder \Add"er\, n. [See {Add}.]
One who, or that which, adds; esp., a machine for adding
numbers.
Adder \Ad"der\, n. [OE. addere, naddere, eddre, AS. n[ae]dre,
adder, snake; akin to OS. nadra, OHG. natra, natara, Ger.
natter, Goth. nadrs, Icel. na[eth]r, masc., na[eth]ra, fem.:
cf. W. neidr, Gorn. naddyr, Ir. nathair, L. natrix, water
snake. An adder is for a nadder.]
1. A serpent. [Obs.] ``The eddre seide to the woman.''
--Wyclif. Gen. iii. 4. )
2. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) A small venomous serpent of the genus {Vipera}. The
common European adder is the {Vipera (or Pelias)
berus}. The puff adders of Africa are species of
{Clotho}.
(b) In America, the term is commonly applied to several
harmless snakes, as the {milk adder}, {puffing adder},
etc.
(c) Same as {Sea Adder}.
Note: In the sculptures the appellation is given to several
venomous serpents, -- sometimes to the horned viper
({Cerastles}).
Source : WordNet®
adder
n 1: a person who adds numbers
2: a machine that adds numbers
3: small terrestrial viper common in northern Eurasia [syn: {common
viper}, {Vipera berus}]