a highly venomous viper, Cerastes cerastes, of northern Africa and extreme southwestern Asia, having a process resembling a horn just above each eye.
Origin
1760-70
British Dictionary definitions for horned viper
horned viper
noun
1.
a venomous snake, Cerastes cornutus, that occurs in desert regions of N Africa and SW Asia and has a small horny spine above each eye: family Viperidae (vipers) Also called sand viper