mamba

noun

mam·​ba ˈmäm-bə How to pronounce mamba (audio) ˈmam- How to pronounce mamba (audio)
: any of several chiefly arboreal venomous green or black elapid snakes (genus Dendroaspis) of sub-Saharan Africa

Examples of mamba in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Without antivenom, a black mamba envenomation carries a near 100% mortality rate. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 This agility allows the black mamba — sometimes stretching up to 14 feet — to effectively escape threats and swiftly pursue prey. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 Once triggered, the black mamba unloads a relentless flurry of high-speed bites. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 The design started with the black mamba (the snake). Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mamba

Word History

Etymology

Zulu imamba

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mamba was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Mamba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mamba. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

mamba

noun
mam·​ba ˈmäm-bə How to pronounce mamba (audio) ˈmam- How to pronounce mamba (audio)
: any of several African poisonous snakes related to the cobras but lacking a hood

Medical Definition

mamba

noun
mam·​ba ˈmäm-bə How to pronounce mamba (audio) ˈmam- How to pronounce mamba (audio)
: any of several venomous elapid snakes (genus Dendroaspis) of sub-Saharan Africa that are related to the cobras but lack a dilatable hood
especially : a southern African snake (D. angusticeps) that has a light or olive-green phase and a black phase, that attains in the latter phase a length of 12 feet (3.66 meters), and that is noted for the quickness with which it inflicts its often fatal bite

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