Definition

Noun: 1. A type of solitary wasp: A velvet ant is not a true ant but a wasp belonging to the family Mutillidae. The name comes from its dense, often brightly colored, velvety hair. A key characteristic is that the females are wingless and superficially resemble large, hairy ants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • While hiking in the desert, I spotted a vibrant red velvet ant scurrying across the sand.
  • The female velvet ant is wingless, but the male has wings and looks more like a typical wasp.
  • Be cautious; a velvet ant has an extremely painful sting, which is why it's sometimes called a "cow killer."

Advanced Usage

• As a common name: The term "velvet ant" is used as a common name for all members of the Mutillidae family. It is often used in entomology and nature guides.
  • The guide explained that the Mutillidae family contains over 3,000 species of velvet ants worldwide.

Variants and Related Words

• Cow killer (n): A colloquial name for some large, brightly colored species of velvet ant, referring to the myth that its sting is powerful enough to kill a cow. (Note: The sting is very painful but not lethal to large animals).
• Mutillidae (n): The scientific family name for velvet ants.

Synonyms

• Solitary wasp: This describes its biological classification, though it is not specific to velvet ants.
• Wingless wasp: This describes the female's appearance but is not a standard common name.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "velvet ant" is a compound noun where "velvet" describes the texture of its hair and "ant" describes its wingless, ant-like appearance. It is crucial to understand that it is a wasp, not an ant. The primary meaning refers to the insect's unique morphology and taxonomy.

Noun

1. a solitary wasp of the family Mutillidae; the body has a coat of brightly colored velvety hair and the females are wingless