adder
A snake, often one people treat as dangerous.
Also called spreading adder, puff adder, deaf adder.
Updated September 21, 2026
adder pronunciation
/AD-er/
Meaning
In Southern and Appalachian talk, adder is a folk name for a snake. It is not pinned to one species. Spreading adder usually means the hog-nosed snake, which flattens its neck and bluffs. Copperhead gets called adder or copper adder in some places too. When somebody hollers adder, they mean watch your step.
How folks use it
- “Don't reach in that woodpile. There might be an adder in there.”
- “Grandma swore a spreading adder would chase a youngun clean to the house.”
Origin and etymology
English brought "adder" from Britain, where it named a real viper. In America the word stuck as a loose label for snakes that look or act scary. Spreading adder for the eastern hog-nosed snake is widely recorded. Copperheads have also been nicknamed adder in Appalachian and Southern folk talk. The European species is not what most locals mean.
Frequently asked questions
Is an adder always venomous?
No. The hog-nosed "spreading adder" is basically a bluffer. Copperheads called adders are venomous. The word alone does not tell you which snake you met.