Old World coral snake
- 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
2
7.2
A small venomous snake with red, yellow, and black bands that has a deadly bite
Surface Forms
Morphology
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.