water scorpion
noun
: any of numerous aquatic bugs (family Nepidae) with the end of the abdomen prolonged by a long breathing tube
Examples of water scorpion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Others, like the cave’s water scorpion (Nepa anophthalma), have elongated limbs and antennae to navigate the pitch-black terrain.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Despite their name and appearance, water scorpions are not related to true scorpions and do not possess venomous stingers.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 8 June 2024
The package comes with a cicada, a cockroach, a Japanese beetle, a water scorpion and an assassin bug for your amateur entomologists.
—Good Housekeeping, 18 Nov. 2022
Later in the segment, when faced with ranking the solo music careers of his former boy band mates, Styles again declined to answer, this time having to stomach a bite of giant water scorpion.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 11 Dec. 2019
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.
Scott Travers, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Despite their name and appearance, water scorpions are not related to true scorpions and do not possess venomous stingers.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 8 June 2024
The package comes with a cicada, a cockroach, a Japanese beetle, a water scorpion and an assassin bug for your amateur entomologists.
—Good Housekeeping, 18 Nov. 2022
Later in the segment, when faced with ranking the solo music careers of his former boy band mates, Styles again declined to answer, this time having to stomach a bite of giant water scorpion.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 11 Dec. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Water scorpion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20scorpion. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share