Naja haje
- noun
- Specialized
- The Naja haje is often depicted on the crowns of ancient Egyptian rulers.
Examples
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The venom of the Naja haje can be dangerous to humans if untreated.
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Researchers observed a Naja haje basking in the sun near the Nile River.
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The Naja haje is a highly venomous snake.
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Many ancient Egyptians revered the Naja haje as a symbol of protection.
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The Naja haje is often depicted on artifacts from ancient Egypt, symbolizing authority and power.
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In ancient Egypt, the Naja haje was a cultural emblem, often seen on the crowns of Pharaohs.
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Many ancient Egyptians revered the Naja haje for its majestic presence in their mythology.
Synonyms
A large venomous African snake often shown on Pharaohs' crowns
Surface Forms
Morphology
Naja + haje
This is a Linnaean binomial (genus + specific epithet). While knowing 'Naja' would signal a snake genus, 'haje' has no lexical meaning in English and the species label is essentially arbitrary, so the precise sense 'Egyptian cobra' cannot be derived from the parts. Therefore the expression’s meaning is not compositional for a B1 learner.
Etymology
Naja haje is the scientific name for the hooded snake known as the 'Egyptian cobra'. Think of a cobra raising its wide hood on a pharaoh's crown as a sign of power and danger, and that strong image helps you remember that Naja haje refers to the dangerous African cobra today.