boa

[ boh-uh ]

noun

, plural bo·as.

1. any of several nonvenomous, chiefly tropical constrictors of the family Boidae, having vestigial hind limbs at the base of the tail.
2. a scarf or stole of feathers, fur, or fabric.

boa

/ ˈbəʊə /

noun

1. any large nonvenomous snake of the family Boidae , most of which occur in Central and South America and the Caribbean. They have vestigial hind limbs and kill their prey by constriction
2. a woman's long thin scarf, usually of feathers or fur

Word History and Origins

Origin of boa¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin: water adder

Word History and Origins

Origin of boa¹

C19: from New Latin, from Latin: a large Italian snake, water snake

Example Sentences

At 7 p.m. on the dot, drag queen Jupiter Genesis kicked off the show, wearing a layered purple boa and a metallic bustier.

From Slate

Megan is a big anime fan and the same style is seen in her music videos like "BOA" and "Neva Play."

From Salon

Rappelling on a giant pink boa that has descended from the heavens, the drag artist known as Sasha Velour makes a flying entrance worthy of Cirque du Soleil.

From Los Angeles Times

Assemblage artist Bobby Furst used proceeds from his massive sculpture at the Sunset Strip restaurant Boa to buy his Joshua Tree property 20 years ago.

From Los Angeles Times

Restoring water to the habitat would help endangered bird species such as the southwestern willow flycatcher and least Bell’s vireo, he said, as well as other species including the mountain yellow-legged frog and southern rubber boa.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bandanna
• shawl
• stole