waterscorpion

American

[waw-ter-skawr-pee-uhn, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌskɔr pi ən, ˈwɒt ər- /

noun

any of several predaceous aquatic bugs of the family Nepidae, having clasping front legs and a long respiratory tube at the rear of the abdomen: capable of biting if handled.

First recorded in 1675–85; water + scorpion

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023