Hornet
/ˈhɔːr.nɪt/noun
A large, stinging wasp with a powerful body and a painful sting.
Did you know?The word is built from the same old Germanic root as horn, likely referring to the insect’s horn-like appearance or sting, not a magical origin — but the imagery has stayed sharp for over a thousand years.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hurnitô / *hurnitaz
“A horned or horn-like insect name, likely formed from the word for horn”
Old English
OE
hyrnet
“Hornet; a stinging insect”
Middle English
ME
hornet
“A hornet, especially a large stinging wasp”
Modern English
English
hornet
“A large stinging wasp of the family Vespidae”