Japanese giant hornet

noun

plural Japanese 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.

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above