wyvern

== English == === Alternative forms === wivern, wiver, wyver === Etymology === Alteration of Middle English wyver (“viper”), from Old Northern French wivre, from Vulgar Latin *vivra, *vibra, from Latin vīpera (“viper; snake, serpent”). Doublet of weever and viper. Related to viviparous. === Pronunciation === enPR: wī'və(r)n, wĭ'və(r)n, wē'və(r)n (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈwaɪvən/, /ˈwɪvən/, /ˈwiːvən/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈwaɪvəɹn/, /ˈwɪvəɹn/, /ˈwiːvəɹn/ Rhymes: -aɪvə(ɹ)n, -ɪvə(ɹ)n, -iːvə(ɹ)n === Noun === wyvern (plural wyverns) (mythology, folklore, fantasy, heraldry) A draconian creature possessing wings, only two legs and usually a barbed tail. 1940-54 The Collected Poetry of Malcolm Lowry, "WE SIT UNHACKLED DRUNK AND MAD TO EDIT", UBC Press,1992, p.222: Notions of freedom are tied up in drink / Our ideal life contains a tavern / Where man may sit and talk of or just think / All without fear of the nighted wyvern, / Or yet another tavern where it appears. ==== Hyponyms ==== cockatrice ==== Translations ==== === See also === wyvern on Wikipedia.Wikipedia dragon drake lindworm wyrm