ophio-
combining form of Gr. ὄϕι-ς serpent, used in various words, chiefly scientific.
ophiobaˈtrachia pl. Zool. = Ophiomorpha: see ophiomorph. † ophioˈcephale a. Obs. [ad. Gr. ὀϕιοκέϕαλος, f. κεϕαλή head], having a serpent's head. ˌophioˈcephaloid (Zool.), a., allied to or resembling the fishes of the genus Ophiocephalus (walking-fishes), which have a long body and snake-like head, and are capable of breathing air and of travelling considerable distances overland; n. a fish of the family Ophiocephalidæ, of which Ophiocephalus is the typical genus. ‖ ophiogenes (-ˈɒdʒɪniːz), pl. [Gr. ὀϕιογενής serpent-gendered]: see quot. ‖ Ophioˈglossum Bot. [Gr. γλῶσσα tongue], the genus of ferns containing the adder's-tongue, the type of the sub-order Ophioglossaceæ. ophiˈography [-graphy], a treatise on, or the description of, serpents (Mayne Expos. Lex. 1857). † ˈophiomach [ad. L. ophiomachus, Gr. ὀϕιοµάχος ‘fighter with serpents’, a name of the ichneumon, and a kind of locust]: see quot. ophiˈophilist [Gr. -ϕιλος loving], a lover of snakes; so ophiˈophilism, love of snakes. ˈophiosaur [ad. mod.L. ophiosaurus, f. Gr. σαῦρος lizard], a lizard of the genus Ophiosaurus or family Ophiosauridæ, limbless and of snake-like form; a glass-snake; so ophioˈsaurian (used in quot. 1882 for a hypothetical reptile combining the characteristics of a lizard and a snake).
| 1608 Topsell Serpents (1658) 608 Some of the Heathen had their *Ophiocephale Beasts with Serpents heads, which they did worship. |
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 154 Crates..saith, That in Hellespont about Parium there was a kind of men (whom he nameth *Ophiogenes) that if one were stung with a serpent, with touching only, will ease the paine. 1871 Tylor Prim. Cult. II. 218 The Ophiogenes, or Serpent-race of the Troad, kindred of the vipers, whose bite they could cure by touch. |
| 1881 Sat. Rev. 19 Mar. 374/2 The genus *ophioglossum, or adder's tongues, which are to the races of ferns what the lampreys are to the race of fishes. |
| 1609 Bible (Douay) Lev. xi. 22 As is the bruke after his kind, the attake, and the *ophiomach [1611 beetle, Rev. V. cricket] and the locust. |
| 1883 Daily News 19 Feb. 5/2 *Ophiophilism is by no means an ugly word..but it may be doubted whether Miss Catherine C. Hopley..will succeed in persuading her readers to become ophiophilists. |
| 1882 C. C. Hopley Snakes xxiii. 429 A meaning which may be worth seeking by a philologist, should he be also an *ophiophilist. |
| 1857 Mayne Expos. Lex., Ophisaurus,..a Family..of saurian reptiles, having the Ophisaurus or Ophiosaurus for their type: *ophisaurian. |
| 1882 C. C. Hopley Snakes xv. 263 Suspected species of reptiles, compound *ophiosaurians, or saurophidians, or who shall say what, in those inaccessible depths. |