Asian giant hornet

noun

plural Asian giant hornets

: northern giant hornet

Note: This insect, formerly known as the Asian giant hornet, murder hornet, or Japanese giant hornet, was officially renamed the northern giant hornet by the Entomological Society of America in July 2022 in order to comply with Society policies discouraging geographic references for invasive species.

compare asian hornet

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above