king cobra

noun

1. a cobra, Ophiophagus hannah, of southeastern Asia and the East Indies, that grows to a length of more than 15 feet (5 meters): the largest of the venomous snakes.

king cobra

noun

1. a very large venomous tropical Asian elapid snake, Ophiophagus hannah, that feeds on snakes and other reptiles and extends its neck into a hood when alarmed Also calledhamadryad

Word History and Origins

Origin of king cobra¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

In October, a venomous king cobra escaped from its terrarium at a zoo in Sweden but returned by itself after a week.

From Seattle Times

He was a reptile conservationist who had been bitten by a king cobra - the world's longest venomous snake.

From BBC

From inch-long geckos to the iconic king cobra, at least 1,829 species of reptiles, including lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodiles, are threatened, the study found.

From New York Times

Reptiles that live in forest areas, such as the king cobra, are more likely to be threatened with extinction than desert-dwellers, in part because forests face greater human disruptions, the study found.

From Seattle Times

Later, an unruly king cobra is relocated from an exhibit to a holding pen.

From Los Angeles Times