Ophiophagus hannah
- noun
- /ˌoʊfiˈɑːɡəs ˈhænə/
- Specialized
:
Ophiophagus hannah
- The Ophiophagus hannah, known as the king cobra, can grow up to 18 feet long.
Examples
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Unlike other cobras, Ophiophagus hannah specializes in eating other snakes.
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The Ophiophagus hannah is the largest venomous snake in the world.
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The Ophiophagus hannah is revered in many cultures across southeastern Asia.
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Zoologists studied the hunting behavior of Ophiophagus hannah in the wild.
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Have you ever seen an Ophiophagus hannah in the wild?
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In Southeast Asia, many people are cautious of the Ophiophagus hannah due to its potent venom.
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The Ophiophagus hannah is recognized for its distinctive hood and impressive size.
Synonyms
1
4.9
A very large snake from Southeast Asia with deadly venom and a hood
A very large venomous snake called the king cobra that lives in Southeast Asia
A very large snake with dangerous venom found in South and Southeast Asia
A large venomous snake from Asia that eats other snakes and is the king cobra
Surface Forms
Morphology
Ophiophagus + hannah
This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name rather than a regular compositional phrase, so a B1 learner who merely knows the surface constituents would not be able to infer it denotes the king cobra. Although 'Ophiophagus' contains classical roots (ophio- = snake, -phagus = eater) that hint at meaning, recognizing those roots and the scientific naming convention requires specialist knowledge, and the specific epithet 'hannah' is opaque and non‑compositional.
Etymology
Ophiophagus hannah is a scientific name that comes from Greek words. Ophiophagus means 'snake eater' and hannah likely comes from a local name, so the full name points to the king cobra's habit of hunting and eating other snakes.