mamba

noun

mam·​ba ˈmäm-bə  ˈmam- 

: any of several chiefly arboreal venomous green or black elapid snakes (genus Dendroaspis) of sub-Saharan Africa

Examples of mamba in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The people gravitated to Jordan’s cutthroat nature, to Kobe’s mamba mentality, to Iverson’s counter-culture defiance and to James, Curry and KD for their unique brilliance. —Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Without antivenom, a black mamba envenomation carries a near 100% mortality rate. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

This agility allows the black mamba — sometimes stretching up to 14 feet — to effectively escape threats and swiftly pursue prey. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

Once triggered, the black mamba unloads a relentless flurry of high-speed bites. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Zulu imamba

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mamba

• bomba
• samba

Kids Definition

mamba

noun

mam·​ba ˈmäm-bə  ˈmam- 

: any of several African poisonous snakes related to the cobras but lacking a hood

Medical Definition

mamba

noun

mam·​ba ˈmäm-bə  ˈmam- 

: any of several venomous elapid snakes (genus Dendroaspis) of sub-Saharan Africa that are related to the cobras but lack a dilatable hood

especially : a southern African snake (D. angusticeps) that has a light or olive-green phase and a black phase, that attains in the latter phase a length of 12 feet (3.66 meters), and that is noted for the quickness with which it inflicts its often fatal bite