Spanish Conversation · Level 38
74 words
Spanish word
víbora
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈbiβoɾa/
Meaning
- feminine nounviper
Example
Vi una víbora en el jardín.
I saw a viper in the garden.
More examples
En la oficina lo consideran una víbora.
At the office they consider him a viper.
Core concept
Coiled viper with fangs exposed.
Common phrases
llamar a alguien víbora
call someone a viper
víbora de cascabel
rattlesnake
Similar words
serpiente: General term for snakes of any kind, a neutral, nontechnical name for the animal.
culebra: Slender snake commonly seen in everyday environments, often nonvenomous.
Definition in Spanish
Designa una serpiente venenosa; coloquialmente, persona que actúa con malicia o engaño.
Word origin
From Latin vipera via the medieval Romance languages into Spanish, the word names a venomous snake and extends to mean a malicious or treacherous person.
Usage tips
- The written accent on the i marks stress on the first syllable, and when applied to a person it functions as a sharp insult implying malice rather than a neutral animal reference.
Other meanings
- snakenoun
Opposites
- persona sincerahonest personnoun