hymenopteran

[ hahy-muh-nop-ter-uhn ]

adjective

1. hymenopterous.

noun

1. Also hy·me·nop·ter []. a hymenopterous insect.

hymenopteran

/ ˌhaɪmɪˈnɒptərən /

noun

1. any hymenopterous insect

hymenopteran

/ hī′mə-nŏp′tər-ən /

1. Any of various insects of the order Hymenoptera, having two pairs of wings and a characteristic thin constriction that separates the abdomen from the thorax. Some hymenopterans live in complex social groups. Hymenopterans include the ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hymenopteran¹

First recorded in 1875–80; from New Latin Hymenoptera, the name of the taxonomic order + -an; hymenopteron ( def )