stag beetle

noun

1. any of numerous lamellicorn beetles of the family Lucanidae, some of the males of which have mandibles resembling the antlers of a stag.

stag beetle

noun

1. any lamellicorn beetle of the family Lucanidae , the males of which have large branched mandibles

Word History and Origins

Origin of stag beetle¹

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

The immense war helmet he wore had the plumes of a blackbird and the horns of a stag beetle adorning it.

From Literature

The full list of insects includes: rhinoceros beetle, Hercules beetle, Atlas beetle, stag beetle, giant stag, Miyama stag beetle, shining ball scarab beetle, jewel beetle, ladybug, firefly, Rosalia batesi, swallowtail butterfly, morpho butterfly, atlas moth, mantis, grasshopper, dragonfly, hornet, robust cicada, brown cicada, periodical cicada, Walker’s cicada, and evening cicada.

From The Verge

Animals in suits are a popular motif – in one card, a frog and a stag beetle dance to an insect playing a tambourine; in another, a monkey in a fez holding a painter’s palette wishes “A Merry Christmas To You”.

From The Guardian

Wallace first discovered the bee on an expedition in 1859, describing the female as “a large black wasp-like insect with immense jaws like a stag beetle.”

From New York Times

At the time, Wallace noted the bee's large jaws, which looked like those of a stag beetle.

From Science Magazine