green hornet
Pronunciation
/ɡɹˈiːn hˈoːɹnɪt/

Definition & Meaning of "green hornet"in English

Green hornet
01

(Canada) a bylaw officer, often one who enforces local municipal regulations

Slang
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Human
Composition
Compound
Countable
Plural form
green hornets

What does "green hornet" mean in Canadian slang?

The structure is a compound noun borrowed from the fictional character (The Green Hornet), repurposed as a nickname for a specific type of local authority figure. It is used in Canada, especially in smaller towns and municipalities, to refer to a bylaw officer, often one who enforces local municipal regulations such as parking, noise, or property maintenance. People typically say "The green hornet gave me a ticket for my unshoveled walkway" or "Watch out, the green hornet is patrolling today." The term originated in Canadian local government and citizen slang, likely from the green uniforms or vehicles some bylaw officers use, combined with the "hornet" sting of issuing fines, but it is not so widespread.

Examples
The green hornet ticketed my car for parking.
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