definitions

rhinoceros beetle

noun

any of several scarabaeid beetles, especially of the genus Dynastes, which comprises the largest beetles, characterized by one or more horns on the head and prothorax.

RELATED CONTENT

A Bug’s Life: Where Insects Get Their NamesWith Spring officially upon us, there's no better time to discuss one of our favorite topics: bugs.
READ MORE
A Bug’s Life: Where Insects Get Their NamesWith Spring officially upon us, there's no better time to discuss one of our favorite topics: bugs.
READ MORE

Nearby words

rhinoantritis, rhinocanthectomy, rhinocele, rhinocephaly, rhinoceros, rhinoceros beetle, rhinoceros bird, rhinocheiloplasty, rhinocladiella, rhinocleisis, rhinodacryolith

Origin of rhinoceros beetle

First recorded in 1675–85
Also called dynastid.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for rhinoceros beetle

rhinoceros beetle

noun

any of various scarabaeid beetles having one or more horns on the head, esp Oryctes rhinoceros, a serious pest on coconut plantations
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012