amphisbaena

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amphisbaena

/æmfɪsˈbiːnə/

Where it comes from

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

noun amphisbaenas · amphisbæna

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)
A member of a genus of lizards, native to the Americas, having extremities which are very similar.

Translations

Every language

noun mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body

Português	anfisbena
Français	amphisbène
Italiano	anfesibena
Русский	амфисбена amfisbena, амфисбены amfisbeny

noun any member of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards

Português	anfisbena
Français	amphisbène

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MLA

"amphisbaena." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/amphisbaena. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

amphisbaena. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/amphisbaena

Chicago

"amphisbaena." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/amphisbaena.

BibTeX

@misc{amphisbaena_2026,
  title = {amphisbaena},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/amphisbaena},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}