king cobra

noun

: a large cobra (Ophiophagus hannah synonym Naja hannah) of southeastern Asia and the Philippines that may attain a length of 18 feet (5.5 meters)

Illustration of king cobra

Illustration of king cobra

Examples of king cobra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kim Kardashian called Swift a snake on social media and the singer turned it into — at the time — a record breaking tour complete with a gigantic king cobra stage prop. Bryan West, USA TODAY, 29 Jan. 2025 The zoo's king cobra, His Majesty, is trained to enter a tube for medical exams. Alissa Widman Neese, Axios, 29 Jan. 2025 Today, the king cobra remains a powerful symbol of the natural world’s majesty and fragility. Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Black mambas can stretch to 14 feet, and the longest king cobra ever recorded was 19 feet. Brian Otieno, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for king cobra 

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of king cobra was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near king cobra

Cite this Entry

“King cobra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/king%20cobra. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

king cobra

noun
: a large very poisonous snake of southeastern Asia and the Philippines

Medical Definition

king cobra

noun
king co·​bra ˈkiŋ-ˈkō-brə How to pronounce king cobra (audio)
: a large and very venomous cobra of the genus Ophiophagus (O. hannah synonym Naja hannah) of southeastern Asia and the Philippines that may attain a length of 18 feet (5.5 meters)

called also hamadryad

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