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wivern

/ˈwaɪvərn/
IPA guide

Other forms: wiverns

A wivern is a two-legged dragon with wings and a spiky tail. Medieval literature often features stories that include the mythical wivern.

While the wivern is a frequent character in legends and stories from the Middle Ages to contemporary fantasy novels, it's probably most often found in British coats-of-arms and crests. These symbols and designs were found on helmets, shields, and other parts of a feudal knights' armor. A wivern might represent a soldier's family, town, or state. You can also spell it wyvern — either way, the root of the word is the Old French guivre, "snake."

Definitions of wivern
  1. noun
    a fire-breathing dragon used in medieval heraldry; had the head of a dragon and the tail of a snake and a body with wings and two legs
    synonyms: wyvern
    see moresee less
    type of:
    dragon, firedrake
    a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
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