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Glite Dictionary
🐍 A venomous snake 🏀 Kobe Bryant
black mamba

black mamba

1 8.9
A large poisonous snake from southern and eastern Africa that moves very fast and has a deadly bite
  • noun
  • /blæk ˈmæmbə/
  • South African
translation icon : mamba negra
  • The black mamba is one of the fastest snakes in the world.

Examples

  • Have you ever seen a black mamba in the wild?

  • Despite its name, the black mamba is usually olive or grayish-brown in color.

  • The black mamba is feared for its aggressive behavior and deadly venom.

  • We saw a documentary about the speed and danger of the black mamba.

  • The black mamba is known for its incredible speed and lethal venom.

  • If someone is bitten by a black mamba, they need immediate medical attention.

  • In the wild, a black mamba can strike with remarkable agility if it feels threatened.

Synonyms

mamba
vsblack mamba
  • South African
3 8.7

A large fast African snake with a very dangerous bite

is the specific species found in southern and eastern Africa with a potent bite

Antonyms

nonvenomous
1 4.3

Not able to put poison into another animal by biting or stinging

How Dangerous

black mamba
  • South African
1 8.9
cobra
52 2.3
rattlesnake
  • US
42 4.1
snake
427 1.0
garter snake
  • US
4 3.8

Surface Forms

black mamba singular
black mambas plural

Morphology

black + mamba

Knowing 'black' and 'mamba' yields the literal image of the venomous snake and thus suggests attributes like speed, danger, or aggressiveness, so learners can partly infer a metaphorical meaning. However, the specific referential use as Kobe Bryant's widely used nickname is cultural and not predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires prior exposure.

Etymology

Black mamba comes from what people first noticed: when the snake opens its mouth the inside is very dark, and the word mamba names this African snake, so they added black for the dark mouth. That's why the name makes people think of a fast, dangerous snake.