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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

This drama will not end well: “Watch Your Step” has a coiled energy, a cobra poised to strike.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2025

Throw in a pitch spitting like a cobra from a length at one end, Jasprit Bumrah bowling missiles and turn for Ravindra Jadeja, and England were second favourites.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2025

"After successful human trials, it could be rolled out relatively quickly to become a cheap, safe and effective drug for treating cobra bites."

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

I saw how his shoulders would predictably tense and curl inward like the hood on a cobra whenever anyone got to that point of having talked too much.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith