Aculeate
/əˈkjuːliət/noun
Having sharp points, spines, or stinging structures, especially in biological descriptions.
Did you know?In zoology, the Aculeata include bees, wasps, and ants—hymenopterans whose defining aculeus evolved from an egg-laying structure into a defensive sting.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ak-
“Sharp, pointed, or piercing”
Ancient Greek
Greek
akḗ
“A point, edge, or sharpness”
Classical Latin
Latin
acus
“A needle; a pointed instrument”
Classical Latin
Latin
acūleus
“A thorn, prickle, or sting”
Late Latin
Latin
acūleātus
“Thorny, prickly, or furnished with a sting”
17th Century
English
aculeate
“Armed with prickles or stings; sharply pointed”
Modern English
English
aculeate
“Having spines, points, or a stinging organ”