ichneumon Definition

ichneumon
noun

1. Any of thousands of species of small winged insects which lay their larvae in or on the larvae of other insects, especially in caterpillars.

Form: ichneumon fly (also)
2. A large mongoose, native to Africa and S Europe, with greyish-brown fur and a long tail.

Etymology: 17c in sense 1; 16c in sense 2: Greek, literally ‘tracker'.