Stinger
/ˈstɪŋ.ər/noun
A person or thing that stings, or a sharp pointed part used for stabbing or piercing.
Did you know?Stinger comes from the same ancient root behind words for *sting*, *stink*, and even *distinct*, because old language often grouped piercing, striking, and separating into one violent idea.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steig-
“to prick, pierce, or stick”
Old English
Old English
stingan
“to pierce, stab, or sting”
Middle English
English
stingen/stingeren
“to sting or pierce; a stinging thing”
14th–15th Century
English
stinger
“one that stings; a sharp projecting point”
Modern English
English
stinger
“a person, animal, or object that stings; a sharp pointed part”