Definition of mamba
:any of several chiefly arboreal venomous green or black elapid snakes (genus Dendroaspis) of sub-Saharan Africa
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Recent Examples of mamba from the Web
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Though species like the boomslang or the king cobra are dangerous thanks to their respective poisons, the black mamba is especially deadly due to its speed.
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The venom of the green mamba — one the most dangerous snakes in Africa — might one day help to treat people who have a genetic disorder that affects the kidneys, according to a new study conducted in mice.
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Green mamba bites may cause dizziness, nausea and irregular heartbeat , and can be fatal.
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Without antivenom, a bite from a black mamba snake is usually lethal.
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If an attacker does not back down, the black mamba will strike it over and over, injecting a plethora of potent neurotoxins each time.
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A golfer in South Africa stopped in the middle of a game to film two black mamba snakes entwined in a fierce battle over a female on the green.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mamba.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of mamba
Medical Dictionary
mamba
play
noun
mam·ba
\
ˈmäm-bə
,
ˈmam-
\
medical Definition of mamba
: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
Learn More about mamba
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See words that rhyme with mamba Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mamba
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