Old World coral snake

9.7

A venomous snake from Asia, Africa, or Australia with bright bands

noun
/oʊld wɜrld ˈkɔrəl sneɪk/

Australian

: serpiente de coral del Viejo Mundo

The Old World coral snake is recognized for its bright red, yellow, and black bands, making it one of the most colorful snakes in the world.

Examples

The Old World coral snake is found in parts of Asia and Africa.
The Old World coral snake is known for its vibrant colors.
Despite their striking appearance, Old World coral snake bites are rare due to their reclusive behavior.
Unlike their American relatives, Old World coral snakes display a range of vivid colors.
A few species of Old World coral snakes are found in Australia.
In Australia, encountering an Old World coral snake can be dangerous due to its highly venomous bite.
Many people are fascinated by the Old World coral snake because of its unique coloration and rarity in the wild.

Synonyms

coral snake

vsOld World coral snake

2 7.2

A small venomous snake with red, yellow, and black bands that has a deadly bite

is limited to Asia, Africa, and Australia rather than including the Americas

Surface Forms

Old World coral snake singular

Old World coral snakes plural

Morphology

old + world + coral + snake

This is a straightforward descriptive compound: 'Old World' (from the Eastern/Old World regions) + 'coral' + 'snake' yields a snake of the coral-snake type that occurs in the Old World. The meaning is compositional and taxonomic rather than idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can reasonably infer it refers to coral-patterned venomous snakes from the Old World.

Etymology

Old World coral snake comes from two ideas: Old World, meaning 'the lands of Europe, Asia and Africa', and coral, because the snake's bright, banded colours look like sea coral or colourful beads. So the name points to a brightly coloured, often venomous snake from those regions.