any of numerous arachnids of the order Scorpionida, widely distributed in warmer parts of the world, having a long, narrow, segmented tail that terminates in a venomous sting.
Astronomy. the Scorpion, Scorpius.
any of various harmless lizards, especially the red- or orange-headed males of certain North American skinks.
Bible. a whip or scourge that has spikes attached. 1 Kings 12:11.
any arachnid of the order Scorpionida, of warm dry regions, having a segmented body with a long tail terminating in a venomous sting
any small nonvenomous arachnid of the order Pseudoscorpionida (or Chelonethida ), which superficially resemble scorpions but lack the long tail See book scorpion
any of various other similar arachnids, such as the whip scorpion, or other arthropods, such as the water scorpion
Old Testament a barbed scourge (I Kings 12:11)
history a war engine for hurling stones; ballista
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin scorpiōn- (stem of scorpiō ), equivalent to scorp(ius) “scorpion” (from Greek skorpíos ) + -iōn- noun suffix, perhaps after pāpiliō (stem pāpiliōn- ) “butterfly,” or stelliō (stem stelliōn- ) “gecko”
A scorpion is a fierce little predator with a curvy tail known for delivering a sharp, venomous sting. Scorpions are a tough species, having been around for about 430 million years! They are known for their venomous stingers, used both to snatch prey and scare off foes. Despite their fierce reputation, most scorpions aren’t deadly to humans, but their sting is still painful enough to make anyone want to keep their distance.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The movie was such a cultural phenomenon when it came out — the soundtrack was so popular, people wore the scorpion jacket.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
To avoid the high prices of Scotch bonnets, she also uses locally grown Moruga scorpion peppers, which are native to Trinidad.
From BBC ● May 31, 2026
The situation resembles the parable of the scorpion and the turtle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
The 7th District, which looks like a scorpion, is appropriately dastardly, stretching from mountainous country in the western part of the state straight to expressways over the Potomac River into Washington D.C.
From Slate ● Apr. 22, 2026
The engineers had built a stone fortress with an iron portcullis, guard towers, scorpion ballistae, water cannons, and no doubt many other nasty surprises for the defenders to use.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
Havana carried out an elaborate project called Operation Scorpion to spy on the organization and track its flights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026
The last major fire on the Channel Islands was the Scorpion fire, which burned 1,368 acres on Santa Cruz Island in 2020.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Scorpion stings are an often overlooked public health problem, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 18, 2026
In 2022, Scorpion Capital released a 183-page critique, and in March of last year, Kerrisdale Capital Management wrote that IonQ delivered “limited, error-prone systems.”
From Barron's ● Feb. 4, 2026
We moved carefully along side streets, waiting at every corner while Scorpion peered round.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Shooting on location meant dealing with typhoons, scorpions and snakes, and working with kids meant shorter work days.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
It was infested with so many scorpions that anyone entering the bathroom at night carried a flashlight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
Not all scorpions respond to their environment in the same way.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 18, 2026
By aiming above a wall, they could pelt the town behind it with beehives, scorpions, snakes, flaming pitch, rotten vermin, or excrement.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2025
The battlements bristled with spears and swords and scorpions, there was an archer at every crenel and arrow slit, the drawbridge was up, the portcullis down, the gates closed and barred.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
