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Glite Dictionary
Naja hannah

Naja hannah

9.9
A very large venomous snake called the king cobra that lives in Southeast Asia
  • noun
  • /ˈnɑːdʒə ˈhænə/
  • Specialized
: 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
3 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
vsNaja hannah
  • Specialized
1 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
Ophiophagus hannah
vsNaja hannah
  • Specialized
1 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

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.