HORNET

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hornet mean? 

• HORNET (noun)
  The noun HORNET has 1 sense:

1. large stinging paper wasp

  Familiarity information: HORNET used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HORNET (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Large stinging paper wasp

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("hornet" is a kind of...):

vespid; vespid wasp (mostly social nest-building wasps)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hornet"):

giant hornet; Vespa crabro (European hornet introduced into the United States)

bald-faced hornet; Vespula maculata; white-faced hornet (North American hornet)

Vespula maculifrons; yellow hornet; yellow jacket (small yellow-marked social wasp commonly nesting in the ground)

 Context examples 

But the willow-wren sent down the hornet, with orders to settle beneath the fox’s tail, and sting with all his might.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Bee, wasp, and hornet stings and fire ant bites usually hurt.

(Insect Bites and Stings, NIH)

Mother, said I, take the whole and let's be going, for I was sure the bolted door must have seemed suspicious and would bring the whole hornet's nest about our ears, though how thankful I was that I had bolted it, none could tell who had never met that terrible blind man.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

And the willow-wren summoned everything which flew in the air, not only birds, large and small, but midges, and hornets, bees and flies had to come.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)