Definition of "bombardier beetle" [bombardier beetle]

• Any of various beetles of the genus Brachinus and related genera that expel an acrid, volatile secretion from the abdomen when disturbed, making an audible sound. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.