boa

Pronunciation: /ˈboʊ.ə/

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a long thin fluffy scarf of feathers or fur
  2. noun any of several chiefly tropical constrictors with vestigial hind limbs

Etymology

From Middle English boa, from Latin boa (“large snake”), a species of serpent mentioned in Pliny's Naturalis Historia (Natural History). The scarf was named attributively, for its resemblance to the snake when worn.

In classic literature

Synonyms

feather boa

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
scarf

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