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• stinger
  stinger

  noun

  a person or thing that stings.
• Stinger
  Stinger

  noun

  a device, consisting of a long track of raised spikes, laid across a road by police to puncture the tyres of escaping vehicles

stinger

American  

[sting-er] / ˈstɪŋ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that stings.

2. an animal or plant having a stinging organ.

3. the sting or stinging organ of an insect or other animal.

4. Informal. a stinging blow, remark, or the like.

5. a cocktail made of brandy and crème de menthe.

6. Military. Stinger, a U.S. Army shoulder-launched, heat-seeking antiaircraft missile with a range of 3 miles (5 kilometers).

7. British Informal. a highball of whiskey and soda.

8. Television.

   1. a clip appearing during or after the closing credits of a show or movie.

      The next season’s new cast member appears briefly in the stinger.

   2. sting.

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stinger ¹ British  

/ ˈstɪŋə /

noun

1. a person, plant, animal, etc, that stings or hurts

2. any marine creature that stings its victims, esp the box jellyfish

3. Also: stengah. a whisky and soda with crushed ice

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Stinger ² British  

/ ˈstɪŋə /

noun

1. a device, consisting of a long track of raised spikes, laid across a road by police to puncture the tyres of escaping vehicles

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stinger Scientific  

/ stĭng′ər /

1. A sharp stinging organ, such as that of a bee, scorpion, or stingray. Stingers usually inject venom.

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Etymology

Origin of stinger

First recorded in 1545–55; sting + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stinger Stinger

"There is no suggestion the collision was a result of any direct police contact, nor was a stinger used by the police in an attempt to stop the Passat."

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

No evidence of "tactical contact" or the use of a stinger has been found before the A66 crash which killed five young men and two police officers, an initial investigation has revealed.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

The stinger comes when Alfredo’s father convinces Violetta to leave his son to free the family from scandal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026

For many people, even glimpsing a hornet's stinger is enough to cause alarm.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 4, 2025

Coming out of the woods was a glistening amber insect, tenfeetiong, with jagged pincers, an armored tail, and a stinger as long as my sword.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

Toward the end of the drill, the Marines launched a Stinger missile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

Napatree makes Bumblebee and Hornet drones, ModalAI makes the Stinger drone, and Auterion demonstrated swarm technology.

From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026

Once I have been stung and acquire my Wasp-Man superpowers, I will be auditioning for a young sidekick to be called Stinger.

From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2025

He continued insisting that Stinger had a shot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2024

This street, Onerfin Avenue, is the line between our territory and the start of Stinger turf.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon