Word Study
anaconda
CIDE DICTIONARY
anaconda, n. [Of Ceylonese origin?].
A large South American snake of the Boa family (Eunectes murinus ), which lives near rivers, and preys on birds and small mammals. The name is also applied to a similar large serpent (Python tigris ) of Ceylon. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
anaconda, n. a large non-poisonous snake living mainly in water or in trees that kills its prey by constriction.
Etymology
alt. of anacondaia f. Sinh. henakandaya whip-snake f. hena lightning + kanda stem: orig. of a snake in Sri Lanka
ROGET THESAURUS
anaconda
Evil doer
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