krait

noun

: any of a genus (Bungarus) of brightly banded extremely venomous nocturnal elapid snakes of Pakistan, India, southeastern Asia, and adjacent islands

Examples of krait in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Groups of five mice were given a life-threatening dose of the toxin from the venom of a krait, mixed with the antibody. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 Barbed arrow kraits can reach about 3 feet in length, the study said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024 When all is said and done, and the blanket removed, there is no krait at all. Vulture, 29 Sep. 2023 Milking a banded krait for venom. Erik Vance, Discover Magazine, 29 July 2013 In the 1950s, two researchers in Taiwan--CY Lee and CC Chang--decided to study the venom of the banded krait. Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Mar. 2011 In southeast Asia, where the most toxic snakes are sea dwellers, the many-banded krait stands out as a deadly terrestrial species. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 11 June 2020 Another snake in this region, the Malayan bridle snake, mimics a venomous snake called the Malayan krait not just in its coloration, but by hiding its head under its coils when threatened. Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2016 There also have been scarier incidents, like in 2019 when an Australian woman found a python in her shoe during a 9,000-mile flight, as well as a venomous Indian krait found in a carry-on bag at an Indian airport in 2018. Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'krait.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu karait

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of krait was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near krait

Cite this Entry

“Krait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/krait. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

krait

noun
: any of several brightly banded extremely poisonous Asian snakes

Medical Definition

krait

noun
: any of several brightly banded extremely venomous nocturnal elapid snakes of the genus Bungarus that occur in Pakistan, India, southeastern Asia, and adjacent islands

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