boa constrictor

American  

noun

boa constrictors plural

1. a snake, Constrictor (Boa ) constrictor, of tropical America, noted for its large size and its ability to suffocate a prey by coiling around it.

2. any large snake of the boa family, as the python or anaconda.

---

boa constrictor British  

noun

1. a very large snake, Constrictor constrictor , of tropical America and the Caribbean, that kills its prey by constriction: family Boidae (boas)

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• boa constrictors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of boa constrictor

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Powell compared China’s naval strategy around Taiwan to that of a boa constrictor, moving slowly to overpower its rival, rather than striking dramatically as a viper might.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026

SGA, the stylish, maddening, smooth-operating Canadian point guard, is the head of the boa constrictor.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

"Each test is specific to a different snake species and was designed to detect DNA from the Burmese python, northern African rock python, rainbow boa and boa constrictor, ensuring no cross-detection among species."

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2024

“They are truly like a boa constrictor, and they do not beat themselves.”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 7, 2023

When I found that original swastika, I was terrified, almost like I believed it could peel itself off the wall and squeeze the life out of me like a boa constrictor.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman