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Glite Dictionary
genus Naja

genus Naja

9.9
A group of venomous snakes that live in Africa and Asia, like cobras
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈnɑːdʒə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Naja
  • The genus Naja includes several species of cobras.

Examples

  • Researchers discovered a new species within the genus Naja in Southeast Asia.

  • Cobras belonging to the genus Naja are easily identified by their distinctive hoods.

  • The genus Naja includes some of the world's most dangerous snakes.

  • Unlike other elapids, cobras in the genus Naja are known for their ability to flare their neck ribs.

  • Many researchers study the genus Naja for its venom properties.

  • The genus Naja consists of various species of cobras that inhabit tropical regions.

  • Scientists are conducting research on the genus Naja to better understand their venom and behavior.

Synonyms

Naja
vsgenus Naja
  • Specialized
9.5

A group of venomous snakes found in Africa and Asia that have a hood

is the scientific group name for those venomous snakes native to Africa and Asia

Surface Forms

genus Naja singular
genera Naja plural

Morphology

genus + Naja

This phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' names a biological rank and 'Naja' is the proper name of that genus, so a learner who knows both constituents will understand it denotes the taxonomic group Naja (cobras). The pattern follows standard scientific naming conventions across languages and contains no idiomatic or metaphorical meaning.

Etymology

Genus Naja probably comes from the old Sanskrit word naga meaning 'snake'. Scientists used that word when they named this group, so genus Naja simply refers to the cobras and other snakes in the group.