■ noun
1》 an arachnid with lobster-like pincers and a poisonous sting at the end of its tail. [Order Scorpiones.]
↘used in names of similar arachnids and insects, e.g. false ~ .
2》 ( ~s ) literary a whip with metal points. [with allusion to 1 Kings 12:11.]
Origin
ME: via OFr. from L. scorpio(n-) , based on Gk skorpios '~'.