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• cobra
  cobra

  noun

  any of several highly venomous, Old World elapid snakes of the genera Naja and Ophiophagus, characterized by the ability to flatten the neck into a hoodlike form when disturbed.
• COBRA
  COBRA

  acronym

  (in the UK) Cabinet Office Briefing Room A: the civil contingencies committee that leads the UK's responses to crises such as terrorist attacks and epidemics

cobra

¹ American  

[koh-bruh] / ˈkoʊ brə /

noun

1. any of several highly venomous, Old World elapid snakes of the genera Naja and Ophiophagus, characterized by the ability to flatten the neck into a hoodlike form when disturbed.

2. any of several similar, related African snakes, as the ringhals.

3. leather made from the skin of a cobra.

4. Military. Cobra, a single-engine, two-seat U.S. Army attack helicopter armed with missiles, rockets, and a 20 mm cannon and in service since 1977.

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cobra ² American  

[koh-bruh, kob-ruh] / ˈkoʊ brə, ˈkɒb rə /

noun

Australian.

1. head; skull.

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cobra ¹ British  

/ ˈkəʊbrə /

noun

1. any highly venomous elapid snake of the genus Naja, such as N. naja ( Indian cobra ), of tropical Africa and Asia. When alarmed they spread the skin of the neck region into a hood

2. any related snake, such as the king cobra

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COBRA ² British  

/ ˈkəʊbrə /

acronym

1. (in the UK) Cabinet Office Briefing Room A: the civil contingencies committee that leads the UK's responses to crises such as terrorist attacks and epidemics

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Etymology

Origin of cobra¹

First recorded in 1810–20; short for cobra de capello

Origin of cobra²

First recorded in 1825–35, cobra is from the Dharuk word gabarā

Explanation

A cobra is a large, venomous snake. Many cobras rear up when threatened, displaying a hood that flares out to intimidate their predators. Like all venomous snakes, cobras only bite humans if they think they're in danger — but when they do, they inject a neurotoxin that can slow their victim's breathing and heartbeat. Unlike most other snakes, cobras have a distinct "hood" made of muscles and ribs that can widen, giving them an especially terrifying appearance when threatened. Cobra is from the Portuguese cobra de capello, "serpent of the hood."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cobra COBRA

He was at boarding school when he stepped on a cobra in the playground.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2026

A cobra bites Chelsea and she’s whisked away to a hospital.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2025

A drug commonly prescribed to thin blood can be repurposed as a cheap antidote to cobra venom, a team of scientists based in Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the UK has discovered.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2024

When she and Dr. Tessler analyzed the leech’s movement, they identified that it made a curling motion similar to the move a cobra makes before it strikes.

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2024

And then it rose and came at us like a monstrous cobra, swallowing everything in sight, and I ran.”

From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman

“She looked into COBRA, but the cost is absolutely ridiculous.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

She looked into COBRA, but the cost is absolutely ridiculous.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026

You’re probably eligible to keep your current coverage through COBRA, though it can be pricey and is only temporary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2023

Before paying down any debt, or agreeing to pay for his COBRA, ask how he plans to move forward with his retirement now that the inheritance is gone.

From Slate ● Mar. 14, 2023

Employers are not mandated to tell people promptly about their eligibility for COBRA.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 26, 2020