copperhead: Meaning and Definition of

cop•per•head

Pronunciation: (kop'ur-hed"), [key]
— n.
  1. a venomous snake, Agkistrodon (Ancistrodon) contortrix, of the eastern and southern U.S., having a light-brown to copper-red body marked with darker bands.
  2. an extremely venomous but sluggish snake, Denisonia superba, of Australia and Tasmania, having a reddish to black body, depending on the region.
  3. (cap.)a Northern Democrat who opposed the Civil War, advocating peace and restoration of the Union even if slavery continued.
  4. (cap.)a finned, 155mm cannon-launched U.S. Army artillery shell that homes on the target, using the reflection of a laser beam projected by a forward observer.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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