boa

/ˈboʊə/

/bəʊə/

Other forms: boas

A boa is a type of snake that squeezes its prey. It's also a fluffy, feathered, colorful scarf. Don't confuse the two and wear a snake as a scarf!

There are two types of boas: one is usually dangerous, and one is sometimes fashionable. The boa is a type of enormous serpent (also known as a boa constrictor) that squeezes its victims to death. Boas are mainly found in tropical regions. If you see a boa outside a zoo, you're in deep trouble. The other type of boa is more silly than scary: it's a long thin scarf that has either feathers or fur. If you are shopping for a boa, try to avoid coming home with the reptilian variety.

Definitions of boa

1. noun

   any of several chiefly tropical constrictors with vestigial hind limbs
   types:

   Constrictor constrictor, boa constrictor

   very large boa of tropical America and West Indies

   Charina bottae, rubber boa, tow-headed snake

   boa of grasslands and woodlands of western North America; looks and feels like rubber with tail and head of similar shape

   Lichanura trivirgata, rosy boa

   boa of rocky desert of southwestern United States

   Eunectes murinus, anaconda

   a semi-aquatic, non-venomous constrictor snake of South America

   python

   large Old World boas

   Morelia spilotes variegatus, Python variegatus, carpet snake

   Australian python with a variegated pattern on its back

   Python reticulatus, reticulated python

   of southeast Asia and East Indies; the largest snake in the world

   Indian python, Python molurus

   very large python of southeast Asia

   Python sebae, rock python, rock snake

   very large python of tropical and southern Africa

   amethystine python

   a python having the color of amethyst

   type of:

   constrictor

   any of various large nonvenomous snakes that kill their prey by crushing it in its coils
2. noun

   a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
   synonyms: feather boa

   type of:

   scarf

   a garment worn around the head or neck or shoulders for warmth or decoration