Definition of HORNET

hornet

Plural: hornets

Noun

  • A large, aggressive social wasp with a potent sting.
  • large stinging paper wasp
  • A large wasp, of the genus Vespa, having a brown-and-yellow-striped body and the ability to inflict a serious sting.
  • A person who pesters with petty but ceaseless attacks.

Examples

  • His opponent was a HORNET, always stinging with unexpected power plays in Words With Friends.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English hernet, from Old English hyrnetu, hyrnete, from Proto-West Germanic *hurnutu, from Proto-Germanic *hurznutō (compare German Hornisse), alteration of Proto-Germanic *hursulǭ (compare Dutch horzel), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥h₂sro- (“hornet”, literally “the one with horns (antennae)”), from *ḱerh₂- (“horn”) (compare Welsh creyryn (“gadfly”), Latin crābrō (“hornet”), Lithuanian širšė (“wasp”), Proto-Slavic *sьrxy (whence Old Church Slavonic сръшень (srŭšenĭ, “hornet”) and many others), Albanian grerë, grenzë (“wasp, hornet”)).

Scrabble Score: 9

hornet: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
hornet: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
hornet: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

hornet: valid Words With Friends Word