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.
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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.
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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
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