Etymology

murder hornet

Today it means: Synonym of Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) ^((See discussion)) Full definition →

First used since at least 2013Japanese 殺人スズメバチ
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The story

  1. Japanese · calque of殺人スズメバチ
  2. English todaymurder hornet

Calque of Japanese 殺人スズメバチ (literally “murder hornet”), from 殺人 (satsujin, “さつじん”)+スズメバチ (suzumebachi, “雀蜂”), equivalent to murder + hornet. From its ability to kill people through its painful venomous stings, which can pierce through most regular beekeeper suits, killing some dozens of people a year in Japan; and its propensity for killing off honeybee colonies.

First known use, by meaning

  • since at least 2013 Synonym of Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) ^((See discussion))

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.