adelgid

[ uh-del-jid ]

noun

1. any of various homopterous insects of the family Adelgidae, as Adelges abietis spruce gall aphid, or spruce gall adelgid and Pineus pinifoliae pine leaf aphid, that feed and form galls on conifers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of adelgid¹

From New Latin Adelgidae, equivalent to Adelg(es) a genus name (apparently from Greek ádel(os) “unseen, invisible” ( a- “not” + dêlos “visible, clear”) + New Latin -ges further origin unknown: unexplained by the name's originator) + -idae; a- ⁶, -id ²

Example Sentences

For the past 25 years or so, hemlocks have been sorely afflicted by a little white fuzzy insect named the hemlock woolly adelgid.

From Washington Post

In just seven years, the woolly adelgid has fatally damaged more than 90 percent of the park’s hemlocks.

From Literature

Scientists say bugs such as the hemlock woolly adelgid and emerald ash borer, both native to Asia, are driving some tree species toward extinction and are causing billions of dollars a year in damage.

From Washington Post