Plural of anaconda; large, nonvenomous snakes from South America that can grow to enormous lengths and squeeze their prey.
The word likely derives from a Sinhalese or Tamil word adapted through Portuguese traders. It entered English in the 18th century, possibly from references in colonial trade records from South Asia, though the snakes are actually South American.
The anaconda is one of the heaviest snakes on Earth, and there's a wild origin story—the name probably traveled the opposite direction from the actual snake, coming from Asia via trade routes even though anacondas live in the Amazon!
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