English Explanatory Dictionary

hornet

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any large wasp of the genus Vespa, having a brown-and-yellow-striped body and the ability to inflict a serious sting.
  2. A person who pesters with petty but ceaseless attacks.
noun
  1. someone connected with Watford Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.

Pronunciation

/ˈhɔː.nɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-hornet.wav /ˈhɔɹ.nɪt/

Word forms

hornet hornets

Etymology

From Middle English hernet, from Old English hyrnetu, hyrnete, from Proto-West Germanic *hurnutu, from Proto-Germanic *hurznutō (compare German Hornisse), alteration of Proto-Germanic *hursulǭ (compare Dutch horzel), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥h₂sro- (“hornet”, literally “the one with horns (antennae)”), from *ḱerh₂- (“horn”) (compare Welsh creyryn (“gadfly”), Latin crābrō (“hornet”), Lithuanian širšė (“wasp”), Proto-Slavic *sьrxy (whence Old Church Slavonic сръшень (srŭšenĭ, “hornet”) and many others), Albanian grerë, grenzë (“wasp, hornet”)).

Related words

bee wasp

Derived words

Asian giant hornet Asian hornet Australian hornet bald-faced hornet bald hornet black-bellied hornet black-tailed hornet European hornet giant hornet greater banded hornet green hornet hornet clearwing hornet fly hornetlike hornet moth hornet robberfly hornety Japanese giant hornet Japanese hornet Japanese yellow hornet lesser banded hornet mad as a hornet murder hornet Oriental hornet paper hornet sand hornet white-faced hornet white-tailed hornet yellow hornet yellow-legged hornet
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