taipan

Everyday

1. A large, very venomous snake from Australia and New Guinea; the inland taipan has the strongest venom of any land snake. tree →
2. (history, Hong Kong and China) A powerful head of a foreign business company in the 1800s and early 1900s. tree →

In the lessons

In nature and safety lessons in Australia, the coastal taipan and inland taipan (fierce snake) are well known; the inland taipan is shy and lives in remote areas, so bites are very rare. Safety: if you see a snake, stay still and back away; call 000 for a bite. Phrases: «inland taipan», «coastal taipan», «fierce snake».

Examples

• The inland taipan has the strongest venom of any land snake. tree →
• Taipans live in Australia. tree →
• The ranger said the taipan is shy and avoids people. tree →
• A taipan bite needs urgent medical help. tree →
• The coastal taipan hunts rats in sugar cane fields. tree →
• In old Hong Kong, a taipan ran a big trading company. tree →

Note

Countable. Pronounced TY-pan. Safety: never touch any snake; in Australia, keep still, use a pressure bandage and call 000 after a bite. Myth: taipans are not aggressive hunters of people; they bite in self-defence.