# adder

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈædɚ/ · frequency rank #41,977

## Definitions
1. Any snake.
2. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
3. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
4. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
5. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
6. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
7. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
8. A name loosely applied to various snakes more or less resembling a viper.
9. A sea stickleback or adder fish (Spinachia spinachia).

## Etymology
From Middle English nadder, addere, rebracketing of “a naddere” as “an addere”, from Old English nǣdre (“snake”), from Proto-West Germanic *nadrā, from Proto-Germanic *nadrǭ, from pre-Germanic *néh₁treh₂, variant of Proto-Indo-European *n̥h₁trih₂, from *(s)neh₁- (“to spin, twist”).
See also West Frisian njirre, Dutch adder, German Natter, Otter; also Welsh neidr, Latin natrīx (“watersnake”), Dutch naaien.

## Easily confused with
- **ADR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-adr)
- **adds** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-adds)
- **aide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-aide)
- **Aden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-aden)
- **addy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-addy)
- **Adel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-adel)
- **Ayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-ayer)
- **after** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-after)
- **anger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-anger)
- **alter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-alter)
- **amber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-amber)
- **aided** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-aided)
- **aides** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-aides)
- **Adler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-adler)
- **Asher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-asher)
- **Alden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-alden)
- **Andes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-andes)
- **Addis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-addis)
- **Arden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-arden)
- **Aiden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adder-vs-aiden)

## Common misspellings (5)
`adderr`, `addre`, `adedr`, `ader`, `dader`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/adder