The story
- Classical Nahuatl · derived frompinacatl“black beetle”
- Spanish · derived frompinacate
- English todaypinacate beetle
From Mexican Spanish pinacate, from Classical Nahuatl pinacatl (“black beetle”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
pinacate beetle
Today it means: A darkling beetle of the genus Eleodes, endemic to the Sonoran Desert and adjacent regions, and known for its defensive tactic of standing on its head to squirt a noxious spray. Full definition →
Spanish pinacate ← Classical Nahuatl pinacatl