pinacate beetle

noun

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.

Similar
pinacate bugstinkbug
OriginSpanish pinacate ← Classical Nahuatl pinacatl →
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Meanings

nounpinacate beetle (plural pinacate beetles)

plural pinacate beetles

  1. 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.

    Synonyms: pinacate bug, stinkbug

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA 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.

Similar
pinacate bugstinkbug

Origin

  1. Classical Nahuatlpinacatl“black beetle”
  2. Spanishpinacate
  3. Englishpinacate beetle

From Mexican Spanish pinacate, from Classical Nahuatl pinacatl (“black beetle”).

More words from Spanish, Classical Nahuatl

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pinacate beetle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pinacate%20beetle

MLA

“pinacate beetle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pinacate%20beetle. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pinacate beetle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pinacate%20beetle.

Source: pinacate beetle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.