: 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
In the clip, the mimic octopus impersonates one of these creatures, turning his tentacles into snake-like appendages that are the same colors as a sea krait.
—
Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
Researchers have created a powerful synthetic antibody that counteracts the deadly venom produced by snakes in the Elapidae family—which includes the black mamba, king cobra and kraits.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
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
Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
Researchers have created a powerful synthetic antibody that counteracts the deadly venom produced by snakes in the Elapidae family—which includes the black mamba, king cobra and kraits.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
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
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
Dictionary Entries Near krait
Cite this Entry
“Krait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/krait. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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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
More from Merriam-Webster on krait
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about krait
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