Illustration of king cobra
king cobra
noun
: a large cobra (Ophiophagus hannah synonym Naja hannah) of southeastern Asia and the Philippines that may attain a length of 18 feet (5.5 meters)
Examples of king cobra in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The antibody, however, did not save mice from king cobra venom.
—
Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Researchers have created a powerful synthetic antibody that counteracts the deadly venom produced by snakes in the Elapidae family—which includes the black mamba, king cobra and kraits.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Large and impressive Asian reptiles here include king cobras, Tomistoma crocodiles and reticulated pythons.
—Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
The world’s largest venomous snake is the king cobra — and while the royal court of snakes doesn’t include the existence of a queen cobra, Megan Thee Stallion is stepping into that role herself.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2023
Hermetically sealed in a Mulholland mansion with a herd of capybara and king cobras?
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023
After the escape fiasco, Laita decided to photograph the king cobra in a plexiglass box to prevent another high speed chase.
—Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2013
In a review to be published in the journal Bioessays, Freek Vonk of Leiden University (picture above with a king cobra) and his colleagues describe how venom is continuing to make its way into the clinic.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2011
When people think of deadly snakes, the king cobra is often the one that slithers to mind.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 19 May 2022
Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Researchers have created a powerful synthetic antibody that counteracts the deadly venom produced by snakes in the Elapidae family—which includes the black mamba, king cobra and kraits.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Large and impressive Asian reptiles here include king cobras, Tomistoma crocodiles and reticulated pythons.
—Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
The world’s largest venomous snake is the king cobra — and while the royal court of snakes doesn’t include the existence of a queen cobra, Megan Thee Stallion is stepping into that role herself.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2023
Hermetically sealed in a Mulholland mansion with a herd of capybara and king cobras?
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023
After the escape fiasco, Laita decided to photograph the king cobra in a plexiglass box to prevent another high speed chase.
—Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 26 Feb. 2013
In a review to be published in the journal Bioessays, Freek Vonk of Leiden University (picture above with a king cobra) and his colleagues describe how venom is continuing to make its way into the clinic.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2011
When people think of deadly snakes, the king cobra is often the one that slithers to mind.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 19 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'king cobra.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1887, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near king cobra
Cite this Entry
“King cobra.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/king%20cobra. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
king cobra
noun
: a large very poisonous snake of southeastern Asia and the Philippines
Medical Definition
king cobra
noun
king co·bra
ˈkiŋ-ˈkō-brə 
: a large and very venomous cobra of the genus Ophiophagus (O. hannah synonym Naja hannah) of southeastern Asia and the Philippines that may attain a length of 18 feet (5.5 meters)
called also hamadryad
More from Merriam-Webster on king cobra
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about king cobra
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