anfisbena

Italian

Alternative forms

• anfesibena

Etymology

From Latin amphisbaena, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίσβαινα (amphísbaina, from ἀμφίς (amphís, “on both sides”) +‎ βαίνω (baínō, “I walk, step”), literally “going both ways”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /an.fiˈzbɛ.na/
• Rhymes: -ɛna
• Hyphenation: an‧fi‧sbè‧na

Noun

anfisbena f (plural anfisbene)

1. amphisbaena

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• anfisbênia, anfista, anfivena

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin amphisbaena, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίσβαινα (amphísbaina).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɐ̃.fizˈbẽ.nɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɐ̃.fizˈbẽ.nɐ/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ɐ̃.fiʒˈbẽ.nɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɐ̃.fizˈbe.na/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ̃.fiʒˈbe.nɐ/ [ɐ̃.fiʒˈβe.nɐ]

• Rhymes: -ẽnɐ, -enɐ
• Hyphenation: an‧fis‧be‧na

Noun

anfisbena f (plural anfisbenas)

1. (Greek mythology) amphisbaena (mythical serpent having a head at each end of its body)
2. amphisbaena (any of the genus Amphisbaena of legless lizards)

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin amphisbaena, from Ancient Greek ἀμφίσβαινα (amphísbaina, from ἀμφίς (amphís, “on both sides”) +‎ βαίνω (baínō, “I walk, step”), literally “going both ways”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /anfisˈbena/ [ãɱ.fizˈβ̞e.na]
• Rhymes: -ena
• Syllabification: an‧fis‧be‧na

Noun

anfisbena f (plural anfisbenas)

1. (Greek mythology) amphisbaena
2. worm lizard

   Synonyms: anfisbenio, culebrilla ciega

Further reading

• “anfisbena”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28