Lexic.us

Definition of Ichneumon

1. Noun. Northern African mongoose; in ancient times thought to devour crocodile eggs.

Definition of Ichneumon

1. n. Any carnivorous mammal of the genus Herpestes, and family Viverridæ. Numerous species are found in Asia and Africa. The Egyptian species (H. ichneumon), which ranges to Spain and Palestine, is noted for destroying the eggs and young of the crocodile as well as various snakes and lizards, and hence was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. The common species of India (H. griseus), known as the mongoose, has similar habits and is often domesticated. It is noted for killing the cobra.

Definition of Ichneumon

1. Noun. The Egyptian mongoose, ''Herpestes ichneumon'', found in Africa and southern Europe. ¹

2. Noun. The ichneumon wasp. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Ichneumon

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Ichneumon

1. 1. Any carnivorous mammal of the genus Herpestes, and family Viverridae. Numerous species are found in Asia and Africa. The Egyptian species(H. Ichneumon), which ranges to Spain and Palestine, is noted for destroying the eggs and young of the crocodile as well as various snakes and lizards, and hence was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. The common species of India (H. Griseus), known as the mongoose, has similar habits and is often domesticated. It is noted for killing the cobra. 2. Any hymenopterous insect of the family Ichneumonidae, of which several thousand species are known, belonging to numerous genera. The female deposits her eggs upon, or in, the bodies of other insects, such as caterpillars, plant lice, etc. The larva lives upon the internal tissues of the insect in which it is parasitic, and finally kills it. Hence, many of the species are beneficial to agriculture by destroying noxious insects. Ichneumon fly. See Ichneumon. Origin: L, fr. Gr, lit, the tracker; so called because it hunts out the eggs of the crocodile, fr. To track or hunt after, fr. Track, footstep. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Ichneumon

Literary usage of Ichneumon

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Insect Book: A Popular Account of the Bees, Wasps, Ants, Grasshoppers by Leland Ossian Howard (1905)
"Caterpillars are especially subject to the attacks of the ichneumon flies. In his paper upon the Hymenopterous parasites of North American butterflies, ..."

2. The Canadian Entomologist by Entomological Society of Canada (1951- ), Entomological Society of Ontario (1897)
"One specimen bred from chrysalis of Vanessa antiopa."' ichneumon ... Three <Js; also four received by Mr. Fletcher. ichneumon occidentalis ..."

3. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London by Linnean Society of London (1798)
"Account^ accompanied by a Figure', of a minute ichneumon. ... It may be doubted, however, whether it be the ichneumon atomos of ..."

4. Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge by Charles Knight (1838)
".(Elian, and others; and as little tnat it is the ichneumon of Pliny. Aristotle (ix. 6) relates; that when the ichneumon sees the serpent called the Asp or ..."

5. The Saturday Magazine (1841)
"Elian, and other ancient writers, celebrate the combats of the ichneumon and the aspis: Pliny describes its stratagems against the crocodile, ..."

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