spitting cobra

noun

: any of several cobras (such as Naja nigricollis and Hemachatus haemachatus of Africa) that in defense typically eject their venom toward the victim without striking

Examples of spitting cobra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By analyzing the venoms of 17 spitting and nonspitting species—and measuring their effects—venom biologist Nicholas Casewell of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and colleagues tested whether the makeup of spitting cobra venom had also changed over time to become a more effective defense. —Mitch Leslie, Science | AAAS, 21 Jan. 2021

The result: a massive chance of a direct hit, and a reeling animal that will think twice about approaching a spitting cobra again. —Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2010

Bruce Young from the University of Massachusetts is antagonising a spitting cobra. —Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2010

Instead, the escape artist turned out to be a type of spitting cobra native to Africa. —Washington Post, 2 July 2021

Take spitting cobras, which bite and spray painful, blinding venom at the eyes and face of an assailant, thanks to pores in their fangs. —National Geographic, 7 Jan. 2020

Fire ants, spitting cobras and even some species of birds are known to disable their prey with harmful sprays. —Douglas Quenqua, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2018

Among them was the African spitting cobra, Spracklandus. —Benjamin Jones, Smithsonian, 7 Sep. 2017

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Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

spitting cobra

noun

: black-necked cobra

also : an African cobra (Hemachatus hemachatus) that in defense typically ejects its venom toward the victim without striking