fer-de-lance

[ fer-dl-ans, -ahns ]
/ ˌfɛr dlˈæns, -ˈɑns /

noun

a large pit viper, Bothrops atrox, of tropical America.

Origin of fer-de-lance

1875–80; < French: literally, spearhead

Words nearby fer-de-lance

feoffment, feosol, fepa, fepc, fer, fer-de-lance, fera, ferae naturae, feral, feral child, ferbam

Example sentences from the Web for fer-de-lance

British Dictionary definitions for fer-de-lance

fer-de-lance
/ (ˌfɛədəˈlɑːns) /

noun

a large highly venomous tropical American snake, Trimeresurus (or Bothops) atrox, with a greyish-brown mottled coloration: family Crotalidae (pit vipers)

Word Origin for fer-de-lance

C19: from French, literally: iron (head) of a lance