Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Viper \Vi"per\, n. [F. vip[`e]re, L. vipera, probably contr. fr.
   vivipera; vivus alive + parere to bring forth, because it was
   believed to be the only serpent that brings forth living
   young. Cf. {Quick}, a., {Parent}, {Viviparous}, {Wivern},
   {Weever}.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of Old World
      venomous makes belonging to {Vipera}, {Clotho}, {Daboia},
      and other genera of the family {Viperid[ae]}.

            There came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on
            his hand.                             --Acts xxviii.
                                                  3.

   Note: Among the best-known species are the European adder
         ({Pelias berus}), the European asp ({Vipera aspis}),
         the African horned viper ({V. cerastes}), and the
         Indian viper ({Daboia Russellii}).

   2. A dangerous, treacherous, or malignant person.

            Who committed To such a viper his most sacred trust
            Of secrecy.                           --Milton.

   {Horned viper}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Cerastes}.

   {Red viper} (Zo["o]l.), the copperhead.

   {Viper fish} (Zo["o]l.), a small, slender, phosphorescent
      deep-sea fish ({Chauliodus Sloanii}). It has long ventral
      and dorsal fins, a large mouth, and very long, sharp
      teeth.

   {Viper's bugloss} (Bot.), a rough-leaved biennial herb
      ({Echium vulgare}) having showy purplish blue flowers. It
      is sometimes cultivated, but has become a pestilent weed
      in fields from New York to Virginia. Also called {blue
      weed}.

   {Viper's grass} (Bot.), a perennial composite herb
      ({Scorzonera Hispanica}) with narrow, entire leaves, and
      solitary heads of yellow flowers. The long, white,
      carrot-shaped roots are used for food in Spain and some
      other countries. Called also {viper grass}.

Horned \Horned\, a.
   Furnished with a horn or horns; furnished with a hornlike
   process or appendage; as, horned cattle; having some part
   shaped like a horn.

         The horned moon with one bright star Within the nether
         tip.                                     --Coleridge.

   {Horned bee} (Zo["o]l.), a British wild bee ({Osmia
      bicornis}), having two little horns on the head.

   {Horned dace} (Zo["o]l.), an American cyprinoid fish
      ({Semotilus corporialis}) common in brooks and ponds; the
      common chub. See Illust. of {Chub}.

   {Horned frog} (Zo["o]l.), a very large Brazilian frog
      ({Ceratophrys cornuta}), having a pair of triangular horns
      arising from the eyelids.

   {Horned grebe} (Zo["o]l.), a species of grebe ({Colymbus
      auritus}), of Arctic Europe and America, having two dense
      tufts of feathers on the head.

   {Horned horse} (Zo["o]l.), the gnu.

   {Horned lark} (Zo["o]l.), the shore lark.

   {Horned lizard} (Zo["o]l.), the horned toad.

   {Horned owl} (Zo["o]l.), a large North American owl ({Bubo
      Virginianus}), having a pair of elongated tufts of
      feathers on the head. Several distinct varieties are
      known; as, the Arctic, Western, dusky, and striped horned
      owls, differing in color, and inhabiting different
      regions; -- called also {great horned owl}, {horn owl},
      {eagle owl}, and {cat owl}. Sometimes also applied to the
      {long-eared owl}. See {Eared owl}, under {Eared}.

   {Horned poppy}. (Bot.) See {Horn poppy}, under {Horn}.

   {Horned pout} (Zo["o]l.), an American fresh-water siluroid
      fish; the bullpout.

   {Horned rattler} (Zo["o]l.), a species of rattlesnake
      ({Crotalus cerastes}), inhabiting the dry, sandy plains,
      from California to Mexico. It has a pair of triangular
      horns between the eyes; -- called also {sidewinder}.

   {Horned ray} (Zo["o]l.), the sea devil.

   {Horned screamer} (Zo["o]l.), the kamichi.

   {Horned snake} (Zo["o]l.), the cerastes.

   {Horned toad} (Zo["o]l.), any lizard of the genus
      {Phrynosoma}, of which nine or ten species are known.
      These lizards have several hornlike spines on the head,
      and a broad, flat body, covered with spiny scales. They
      inhabit the dry, sandy plains from California to Mexico
      and Texas. Called also {horned lizard}.

   {Horned viper}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Cerastes}.

Source : WordNet®

horned viper
     n : highly venomous viper of northern Africa and southwestern
         Asia having a horny spine above each eye [syn: {cerastes},
          {sand viper}, {horned asp}, {Cerastes cornutus}]