حَيَّةٌ
1.
[A serpent;] a certain thing well known: (K, TA:) [improperly explained in the Msb as synonym with أَفْعًى:] applied to the male and the female; (S, Msb;) the ة being added to denote one of a kind, as in بَطَّةٌ and دَجَاجَةٌ; [although حَىٌّ is not used as a coll. gen. n.; and] although the saying عَلَى حَيَّةٍ
رَأَيْتُ حَيًّا, as meaning [I saw] a male [serpent] upon a female [serpent], is related as having been heard from the Arabs: (S:) but
حَيُّوتٌ is also applied to the male; (Az, S, K;) the ت being augmentative; for the word is originally حَيُّو [or حَيُّوٌّ]: (Az, TA:) it is said that it does not die unless by an accident: and they say of a long-lived man, مَا هُوَ إِلَّا حَيَّةٌ [He is none other than a serpent]; and in like manner they say of a woman; as though it were called حيّة because of its long life: [for] some, including Sb, say that it is derived from حَيَاةٌ, as the rel. n. is حَيَوِىٌّ, not حَوَوِىٌّ: and to him who objects that one says رَجُلٌ حَوَّاءٌ [meaning “ a man who collects serpents ”], it is replied that حَيَّةٌ and حَوَّاءٌ are of different roots, like لُوءْلُوءٌ and لَأّلٌ, &c.: but it may be from تَحَوَّى, because of its winding, or coiling, itself; and some say that it is originally حَوْيَةٌ; some, that it is originally حَيْوَةٌ: (TA:) [the diminutive is
حُيَيَّةٌ:] the plural is حَيَّاتٌ (K) and حَيْوَاتٌ, (K, TA,) or حَيَوَاتٌ. (So in some copies of the K [agreeably with the dialect of Hudheyl].) Hence the prov. هُوَ أَبْصَرُ مِنْ حَيَّةٍ [He is more sharp-sighted than a serpent]; because of the sharpness of its sight: and أَظْلَمُ
مِنْ حَيَّةٍ [more wrongful in conduct than a serpent]; because it comes to the burrow of the [lizard called] ضَبّ, and eats its young one, and takes up its abode in its burrow. (TA.) And سَقَاهُ اللّٰهُ دَمَ الحَيَّاتِ [May God give him to drink the blood of the serpents]; i. e., (assumed tropical:) destroy him. (TA.) And
لَا تَلِدُ الحَيَّةُ إِلَّا حُيَيَّةً [The serpent does not bring forth anything save a little serpent]: a prov. applied to the cunning and mischievous, or malignant. (TA.) And فُلَانٌ حَيَّةُ
الوَادِى, or الأَرْضِ, or البَلَدِ, or الحَمَاطِ, (assumed tropical:) Such a one is cunning and mischievous, or malignant, (IAar, K,) and intelligent, in the utmost degree: (IAar:) [or] فلان حيّة الوادى means (assumed tropical:) such a one is strong in resisting, a defender of his possessions. (TA.) And حَيَّةُ الوَادِى is also an appellation applied to (assumed tropical:) The lion; (K, TA;) because of his cunning, or craftiness. (TA.) One says also, هُمْ حَيَّةُ الأَرْضِ, meaning (assumed tropical:) They are cunning, guileful, malignant, or mischievous, and strong, not neglecting to take blood-revenge: so in a saying of Dhu-l-Isba' El-'Adwánee cited voce عَذِيرٌ. (TA.) And فُلَانٌ حَيَّةٌ ذَكَرٌ (S, TA) (assumed tropical:) Such a one is courageous and strong. (TA.) And رَأْسُهُ رَأْسُ حَيَّةٍ (assumed tropical:) He is clever, or ingenious; acute, or sharp; intelligent. (TA.) And رَأَيْتُ فى كِتَابِهِ
حَيَّاتِ وَعَقَارِبَ (assumed tropical:) I saw in his letter slanders, or calumnies, addressed to the ruling power, in order to cause the object thereof to fall into embarrassment from which escape would be difficult. (TA.)
2.
الحَيَّةُ is also a name of (assumed tropical:) [The constellation Draco; commonly called التِّنِّينُ;] certain stars [partly] between the
فَرْقَدَانِ [or B and y of Ursa Minor] and
بَنَاتُ نَعْشٍ [meaning the stars in the tail of Ursa Major]: (K:) so called by way of comparison. (TA.)
3.
And حَيَّةٌ also signifies (assumed tropical:) A certain mark made with a hot iron upon the neck, and upon the thigh, of a camel, twisting, or winding, like the
حَيَّة [properly so called]. (Ibn- Habeeb, TA.)
4.
See also حَىٌّ.