amphisbaena

See also: Amphisbaena and amphisbæna

English

Alternative forms

• amphisbæna

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æmfɪsˈbiːnə/

Noun

amphisbaena (plural amphisbaenas)

1. (mythology) 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.

Derived terms

• amphisbaenic

Translations

mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body

• Armenian: ամֆիսբենա (amfisbena)
• Catalan: amfisbena f
• French: amphisbène (fr) m
• Italian: anfesibena (it) f
• Portuguese: anfisbena f
• Punjabi: ਦੁਮੂੰਹੀ f (dumū̃hī)
• Russian: амфисбена (ru) f (amfisbena), амфисбены f pl (amfisbeny)

any of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards

• French: amphisbène (fr) m
• Portuguese: anfisbena f