lepidopteran

lepidopteran
noun Etymology: New Latin Lepidoptera, from lepid- + Greek pteron wing — more at feather Date: circa 1901 any of a large order (Lepidoptera) of insects comprising the butterflies, moths, and skippers that as adults have four broad or lanceolate wings usually covered with minute overlapping and often brightly colored scales and that as larvae are caterpillars • lepidopteran adjectivelepidopterous adjective

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • lepidopteran — a. Same as {lepidopterous}. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lepidopteran — n. An insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales; a lepidopterous insect. Syn: lepidopterous insect, lepidopteron. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lepidopteran — [lep΄ə däp′tər ən] n. [< ModL Lepidoptera (see LEPIDO & PTEROUS) + AN] any of a large order (Lepidoptera) of insects, consisting of the butterflies and moths, characterized by two pairs of broad, membranous wings covered with very fine scales …   English World dictionary

  • lepidopteran — /lep i dop teuhr euhn/, adj. 1. lepidopterous. n. 2. a lepidopterous insect. [1850 55; LEPIDOPTER(A) + AN] * * * Any of the more than 100,000 species constituting the order Lepidoptera (Greek: scaly wing ): butterflies, moths, and skippers. The… …   Universalium

  • lepidopteran — Lepidoptera ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ an order of insects comprising the butterflies and moths. DERIVATIVES lepidopteran adjective & noun lepidopterist noun lepidopterous adjective. ORIGIN from Greek lepis scale + pteron wing …   English terms dictionary

  • lepidopteran — 1. noun Any insect of the order Lepidoptera; the butterflies and moths 2. adjective Characteristic of these insects …   Wiktionary

  • lepidopteran — adj. lepidopterous, of or pertaining to the order of insects which includes butterflies and moths (Zoology) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • lepidopteran — lep·i·dop·te·ran …   English syllables

  • lepidopteran — lep•i•dop•ter•an [[t]ˌlɛp ɪˈdɒp tər ən[/t]] adj. 1) ent lepidopterous 2) ent a lepidopterous insect • Etymology: 1850–55; NL Lepidoptera=lepido + Gk pterón feather …   From formal English to slang

  • lepidopteran — noun insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales • Syn: ↑lepidopterous insect, ↑lepidopteron • Hypernyms: ↑insect • Hyponyms: ↑butterfly, ↑moth …   Useful english dictionary

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