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: any of a genus (Bungarus) of brightly banded extremely venomous nocturnal elapid snakes of Pakistan, India, southeastern Asia, and adjacent islands
Examples of krait in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Snake Island, where the show staged challenges, was notorious for banded sea kraits and venomous vipers; the island was also a handoff point for pirates, which meant that it was patrolled by Australian special forces.
—Emily Nussbaum, Vulture, 5 July 2024
In the clip, the mimic octopus impersonates one of these creatures, turning his tentacles into snake-like appendages that are the same colors as a sea krait.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 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
Groups of five mice were given a life-threatening dose of the toxin from the venom of a krait, mixed with the antibody.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Barbed arrow kraits can reach about 3 feet in length, the study said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024
When all is said and done, and the blanket removed, there is no krait at all.
—Vulture, 29 Sep. 2023
Milking a banded krait for venom.
—Erik Vance, Discover Magazine, 29 July 2013
In the 1950s, two researchers in Taiwan--CY Lee and CC Chang--decided to study the venom of the banded krait.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2011
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Word History
Etymology
Hindi & Urdu karait
First Known Use
1874, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near krait
Cite this Entry
“Krait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/krait. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
krait
noun
: any of several brightly banded extremely poisonous Asian snakes
Medical Definition
krait
noun
: any of several brightly banded extremely venomous nocturnal elapid snakes of the genus Bungarus that occur in Pakistan, India, southeastern Asia, and adjacent islands
More from Merriam-Webster on krait
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for krait
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about krait
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