nepërkë

Albanian

Alternative forms

• nepërtkë
• nepkër(ë)

Etymology

Orel suggests from older nepërtkë, originally ‘hatchling snake’, thought to be from South Slavic *nepŭrtŭkŭ (compare Bulgarian непрътък (neprǎtǎk, “buttercup, yellowgold”)). However, the term is generally considered to be native.

Noun

nepërkë f (plural nepërka, definite nepërka, definite plural nepërkat)

1. adder, viper
2. sand viper, nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes)
3. (figurative) snake-in-the-grass, crafty and dishonorable person

Hyponyms

• nepërkë uji (“dice snake”) (Natrix tessellata)
• nepërkë e zakonshme (“sand viper”) (Vipera ammodytes)