- hawk moth
- noun Date: 1785 any of a family (Sphingidae) of stout-bodied moths with a long proboscis, long narrow more or less pointed forewings, and small hind wings — called also sphinx
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
hawk moth
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Hawk moth — (m[o^]th ; 115). (Zo[ o]l.) Any moth of the family {Sphingid[ae]}, of which there are numerous genera and species. They are large, handsome moths with long narrow forewings capable of powerful flight and hovering over flowers to feed. They fly… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Hawk moth — Hawk Hawk (h[add]k), n. [OE. hauk (prob. fr. Icel.), havek, AS. hafoc, heafoc; akin to D. havik, OHG. habuh, G. habicht, Icel. haukr, Sw. h[ o]k, Dan. h[ o]g, prob. from the root of E. heave.] (Zo[ o]l.) One of numerous species and genera of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hawk moth — hawk′ moth n. ent any of numerous moths of the family Sphingidae, noted for their swift flight and ability to hover while sipping nectar from flowers Also called sphingid,sphinx moth • Etymology: 1775–85 … From formal English to slang
hawk moth — n. any of a family (Sphingidae) of moths with a thick, tapering body, slender wings, and a long feeding tube used for sucking the nectar of flowers; sphinx moth … English World dictionary
hawk moth — noun any of various moths with long narrow forewings capable of powerful flight and hovering over flowers to feed • Syn: ↑hawkmoth, ↑sphingid, ↑sphinx moth, ↑hummingbird moth • Hypernyms: ↑moth • Hyponyms: ↑ … Useful english dictionary
hawk moth — any of numerous moths of the family Sphingidae, noted for their very swift flight and ability to hover while sipping nectar from flowers. Also called sphingid, sphinx moth, hummingbird moth. [1775 85] * * * or sphinx moth Any moth of the… … Universalium
hawk moth — Sphinx Sphinx, n. [L., from Gr. sfi gx, usually derived from sfi ggein to bind tight or together, as if the Throttler.] 1. (a) In Egyptian art, an image of granite or porphyry, having a human head, or the head of a ram or of a hawk, upon the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hawk moth — noun Any moth of the family Sphingidae. Syn: hornworm, sphinx moth … Wiktionary
hawk-moth — n. Death s head moth … New dictionary of synonyms
hawk-moth — … Useful english dictionary
