A·côn′ti·as, n.

n. [Gr. ἀκοντίας, equiv. to Lat. jaculus, from ἄκων, dim. ἀκόντιον, dart.] Anciently, a snake, called dart-snake, which was said to coil itself on trees and dart down on persons passing by; now, a genus of reptiles closely allied to the lizards, one species of which (A. meleagris) is a native of South Africa.