stag beetle

American  

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.

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stag beetle British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of stag beetle

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

In the world of a male stag beetle, a good spot on a rotting log is a way to attract females, who like rotting wood to lay their eggs in.

From New York Times • Oct. 10, 2016

Jana Goyens and her colleagues at the University of Antwerp in Belgium have been studying stag beetle behavior and the anatomy that makes it possible.

From New York Times • Oct. 10, 2016

Scrubbed of his cat-whisker greasepaint, Eric Singer, the drummer for Kiss, sounded as intrigued as an entomologist spotting a rainbow stag beetle in a jungle in New Guinea.

From New York Times • Mar. 27, 2015

I look at a ring that looks like a stag beetle and wonder where the story will lead this time.

From Slate • Dec. 4, 2011

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

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques