Anguis
/ˈaŋ.ɡʷis/noun
A Latin word meaning “snake,” also used as the scientific genus name for slow worms.
Did you know?The genus name Anguis preserves an ancient serpent word related to Iranian dragon mythology, including Aži Dahāka, the monstrous serpent of Zoroastrian legend.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂engʷʰis
“Snake or serpent”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
áhi-
“Serpent, snake; famously used for the dragon-serpent Vṛtra”
Old Iranian
Avestan
aži-
“Serpent or dragon”
Classical Latin
Latin
anguis
“Snake, serpent; sometimes a large or monstrous serpent”
18th Century
Neo-Latin
Anguis
“Scientific genus name assigned to the slow worms”
Modern English
English
Anguis
“A zoological genus of legless lizards commonly called slow worms”