sting

English

/stɪŋ/

noun
Definitions
  • A bump left on the skin after having been stung.
  • A bite by an insect.
  • A pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack.
  • A sharp, localised pain primarily on the epidermis
  • (botany) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secretes an acrid fluid, as in nettles.
  • The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging.
  • (law enforcement) A police operation in which the police pretend to be criminals in order to catch a criminal.
  • A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.
  • A brief sequence of music used in films, TV, and video games as a form of scenic punctuation or to identify the broadcasting station.
  • A support for a wind tunnel model which extends parallel to the air flow.
  • (figurative) The harmful or painful part of something.
  • A goad; incitement.
  • The concluding point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English stynge inherited from Old English sting inherited from Proto-Germanic *stangiz.

Origin

Proto-Germanic

*stangiz

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms