black mamba

black mamba

English

Etymology

Predominantly the Zulu language iMamba[1]

A black mamba

Noun

black mamba (plural black mambas)

1. A large venomous snake found in Africa, taxonomic name Dendroaspis polylepis. Despite the name, this species of snake is not black; its colour ranges widely from olive-brown, khaki or grey, sometimes to darker hues, especially when old. The inside of the mouth is black, but in spite of a recent urban legend there is no indication that that has anything to do with the name "black mamba", which is a much older usage than any such suggestion.[2]

Translations

A large venomous snake

Catalan: mamba negra f Finnish: mustamamba (fi) French: mamba noir (fr) m Russian: чёрная ма́мба f (čórnaja mámba) Swahili: songwe class 9/10 animate, mamba (sw)

References

1. Frederick William Fitzsimons (1912) The Snakes of South Africa: Their Venom and the Treatment of Snake Bite‎, T. M. Miller, pages 194–195
2. Cape Monthly Magazine‎, 1876