scorpionfly

American  

[skawr-pee-uhn-flahy] / ˈskɔr pi ənˌflaɪ /

Or scorpion fly

noun

plural

scorpionflies

1. any of several harmless insects of the order Mecoptera, the male of certain species having a reproductive structure that resembles the sting of a scorpion.

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Etymology

Origin of scorpionfly

First recorded in 1660–70; scorpion + fly ¹

Example Sentences

For the female scorpionfly: an extremely large, glittering, nutrient-laced ball of spit, equivalent to 5 percent to 10 percent of a male fly’s body mass.

From New York Times • Dec. 23, 2013