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Definition of king cobra

king cobra

Plural:king cobras
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• noun

1

The world's longest venomous snake, native to the forests of South and Southeast Asia, characterized by its large size, potent venom, and ability to raise the front of its body and expand its neck into a hood when threatened.

Example

"During the wildlife documentary, the researchers carefully observed a king cobra constructing a mound nest of leaves for its eggs, a unique behavior among snakes."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for king cobra

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite its common name, the king cobra is not a true cobra of the genus Naja; it is the sole member of its own genus, Ophiophagus, which literally translates to 'snake-eater'.

• Nearby Words

kinfolk
king
king brown snake
king cobra
king edward viii
king edward viii falls
king george

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of King cobra. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 1, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/king-cobra
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