Cobras

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of venomous snake known for its ability to expand its neck, displaying a hood when threatened
2. a creature found in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia
3. also refers to a specific genus of highly lethal serpents often associated with their unique defensive postures

Etymology: The plural "cobras" is simply the regular plural of "cobra," so the history belongs to the singular. "Cobra" came into English by way of Portuguese, which is a clue to how far the word travelled. Portuguese "cobra" was itself a descendant of the Latin "colubra," which meant "a female snake." The Latin word was the feminine form of "coluber," the general word for snake, so the original sense was specifically female. The Portuguese form reached English through the sea trade. Portuguese sailors and merchants were active in India and the surrounding regions, and they brought back the name for the hooded snake they encountered there. English adopted it in that form, so a word meaning "female snake" in Latin ended up naming one of the most recognisable venomous snakes in the world.

Synonyms: snakes