dipteran

[ dip-ter-uhn ]

adjective

1. dipterous ( def 1 ).

noun

1. a dipterous insect.

dipteran

/ ˈdɪptəˌrɒn; ˈdɪptərən /

noun

1. any dipterous insect

adjective

1. another word for dipterous

dipteran

/ dĭp′tər-ən /

1. Any of various insects of the order Diptera, characterized by a single pair of membranous wings, a pair of club-shaped balancing organs, and large compound eyes. Dipterans include the flies, mosquitoes, midges, and gnats.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dipteran¹

First recorded in 1835–45; Dipter(a) + -an

Example Sentences

That, with the addition of a bit of computer modelling, has shown them how dipteran inertial guidance works.

From Economist

Flies may seem short-lived to people, but from a dipteran point of view they can thus live to a ripe old age.

From Economist

But tsetses are not the only dipteran foes of zebra and, since they are rarely found in the meadows of Hungary, Dr Horvath plumped for studying an almost equally obnoxious alternative: the horsefly.

From Economist

One or two examples of the adaptations of dipteran larvae to life in the water may well bring the present chapter to a close.

From Project Gutenberg