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Where does the word "cobra" come from? It comes from Portuguese cobra de capelo, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).
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Where does the word "cobra" come from? It comes from Portuguese cobra de capelo, and was adopted directly into English (1800s).
Cobra’s story begins in Portuguese: cobra de capelo meant “hooded snake.” Literally snake of the hood, describing the snake's distinctive hood. It reached English by 1800s as cobra. Shortened and settled as the English word for the hooded venomous snake. Today, cobra means a venomous snake known for the hood it displays when threatened.
- Stage 1 · Portuguese · 1500s cobra de capelo "hooded snake", literally snake of the hood, describing the snake's distinctive hood.
- Stage 2 · English · 1800s cobra "a venomous hooded snake", shortened and settled as the English word for the hooded venomous snake.