hornet
USHOR-nit/ˈhɔɹ.nɪt/UKHAW-nit/ˈhɔː.nɪt/
Pluralhornets
- 1A large kind of wasp that can give a painful, serious sting.
Like a bee, but bigger and with a much stronger sting.
A hornet landed on the picnic table and everyone froze.
She got stung by a hornet while working in the garden.
Note
- 2A person who keeps bothering others with small but constant attacks.
Like a small insect that keeps buzzing around your head and won't leave you alone.
The new manager is a real hornet, always nagging staff over tiny details.
Ignore the hornet who picks at every little thing you do.
Practice
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Origin
It comes from Old English "hyrnetu." The name goes back to an old root meaning "horn," pointing to the insect's antennae.