hornet
/ˈhɔːnɪt
/noun
A large, fairly docile wasp which is typically red and yellow or red and black and usually nests in hollow trees.
- Vespa and other genera, family Vespidae: several species, including the European V. crabro.
- The insects most likely to cause allergic reactions are wasps, honeybees, hornets, yellow jackets and ants.
- South African paper wasps, or hornets as they are also called, are often encountered underneath overhangs such as the eaves of roofs but do not form very big groups.
Phrases
a hornets' nest
Origin
Old English hyrnet, of Germanic origin; related to German Hornisse. The form of the word was probably influenced by Middle Dutch and Middle Low German hornte.
Rhymes
- omni-antenna
- omniarch
- omnibenevolence
- omnibenevolent
- omnibus
- omnibus box
- omnibus letter
- omnibus man
- omnibus ticket
- omnibus train
- omnicausality
- omnichannel
- omnicide
- omnicompetence
- omnicompetent
- omnidirectional
- omnidirectionality
- omnidirectionally
- omnifarious
- omniferous
- omnific
- omnificence
- omnificent
- omnifocal
- omniform