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Naja hannah

Naja hannah

9.9
A very large venomous snake called the king cobra that lives in Southeast Asia
  • noun
  • /ˈnɑːdʒə ˈhænə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Naja hannah
  • The Naja hannah, also known as the king cobra, can grow up to 5.5 meters long.

Examples

  • The habitat of the Naja hannah includes forests and plains across Southeast Asia.

  • Snake handlers are particularly cautious when dealing with the venomous Naja hannah.

  • The Naja hannah is one of the most feared snakes in the world.

  • I saw a Naja hannah at the zoo last weekend.

  • The Naja hannah, or king cobra, is known for its aggressive behavior and potent venom.

  • In the jungle, it is common to encounter the Naja hannah slithering through the underbrush.

  • Zoologists study the Naja hannah to better understand its role in the ecosystem.

Synonyms

king cobra
vsNaja hannah
  • Indian
1 4.9

A very large snake from Southeast Asia with deadly venom and a hood

is the formal species description focusing on range and taxonomy
Ophiophagus hannah
vsNaja hannah
  • Specialized
9.9

A very large venomous snake from southeast Asia that often eats other snakes

is a descriptive common name used in everyday language rather than Latin
hamadryad
vsNaja hannah
  • Archaic
9.9

A very large snake with dangerous venom found in South and Southeast Asia

is the neutral scientific description rather than a poetic label
Ophiophagus
vsNaja hannah
  • Specialized
9.9

A large venomous snake from Asia that eats other snakes and is the king cobra

is the specific species description rather than the broader taxonomic group

Surface Forms

Naja hannah singular
Naja hannahs plural

Morphology

Naja + hannah

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) proper name: the species identity 'king cobra' is an arbitrary label rather than a compositional meaning built from the parts. Knowing 'Naja' might cue 'snake' to a knowledgeable learner, but 'hannah' has no dictionary meaning and the full species meaning is not derivable from the constituents, so it would be opaque to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Naja hannah may come from the old word Naja meaning 'cobra' and a local name hannah used in parts of Southeast Asia. So the name paints a picture of a large, powerful cobra and is used for the big, venomous snake we call the king cobra.