Hornet

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈhɔː.nɪt/

Definitions

1. A type of large insect within the wasp family recognized for its distinctively painful sting and aggressive nature when defending its nest
2. An aggressive member of the wasp family that is characterized by its size and willingness to sting when threatened, often constructing large nests
3. A large, aggressive insect resembling a wasp, known for its painful sting and tendency to build extensive nests in trees or attics

Etymology: The name of this insect is older than English itself. Its ancestor was a word meaning "the one with horns", referring to the insect's long antennae, which look like horns sprouting from its head. The Proto-Indo-European root for "horn" is the same root that produced the Latin "crabro", also meaning hornet, and words for wasps and gadflies across many European and Slavic languages, so the name is a very old descriptive image shared widely across the family. English inherited the word through Old English "hyrnetu" and "hyrnete", which came from a Germanic form that also gave German "Hornisse" and Dutch "horzel". The Middle English form "hernet" shows the same sound pattern as those relatives, with the "r" and "n" arrangement shifting over the centuries until the modern spelling settled in.

Synonyms: wasp, insect, pest, flying insect, predator

Antonyms: butterfly, moth, bee, friend, ally