asp

Meaning

1. (archaic) A water snake.
2. A venomous viper native to southwestern Europe (Vipera aspis).
3. The Egyptian cobra (Naja haje).
4. (figuratively) An evil person; a snake.
5. A type of European fish (Aspius aspius).
6. (Southern-US) The caterpillar of various types of flannel moths which induce an intense pain when their hair is touched.
7. (Southern-US, broadly) The caterpillar of various types of flannel moths which induce an intense pain when their hair is touched.

Synonyms

Egyptian cobra

asp viper

viper

Naja haje

Vipera aspis

adder

aspic viper

as soon as possible

buckler

shield

🛡️

scutum

European asp

Translations

áspid

aspic

aspide

áspide

vipère aspic

Aspius aspius

ασπίς

àspid

aspisadder

Rapfen

aspis

aspe

Natter

Pronounced as (IPA)

/æsp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: aspe

Cognate with Middle English: aspide

Inherited from Old English: æspe

Cognate with Dutch: esp

Cognate with German: Espe

Cognate with Swedish: -

Cognate with Norwegian Bokmål: asp

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: osp

Cognate with Welsh: aethnen

Cognate with Latin: abiēs

Cognate with Latvian: apse

Cognate with Polish: osa

Cognate with Classical Armenian: ոփի

In summary

From Middle English aspe, from Old French aspe, from Latin aspis, aspidis (“asp, viper”), from Ancient Greek ἀσπίς (aspís, “shield; Egyptian cobra Naja haje”); compare Middle English aspide.