murder hornet

noun

plural murder hornets
: northern giant hornet

Note: This insect, formerly known as the Asian giant hornet, murder hornet, or Japanese giant hornet, was officially renamed the northern giant hornet by the Entomological Society of America in July 2022 in order to comply with Society policies discouraging geographic references for invasive species.

Examples of murder hornet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So, murder hornets pose a major threat not just to bees but also to other local insects. — Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024 The report came just about four months after a separate murder hornet detection on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. — Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2020, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of murder hornet was in 2020

Rhymes for murder hornet

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Browse Nearby Words

murderess
murder hornet
murdering piece
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Cite this Entry

“Murder hornet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murder%20hornet. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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