strepsipterous

[ strep-sip-ter-uhs ]
adjective

  1. belonging or pertaining to the order Strepsiptera, comprising minute insects that are closely related to the beetles, the twisted-winged male being free-living and the wingless female parasitic in various insect hosts.

Origin of strepsipterous

1
1810–20; <New Latin Strepsipter(a) order name (<Greek strepsi- (stem of strépsis a turning round, equivalent to strep- (variant stem of stréphein to twist, turn; cf. strepto-) + -sis-sis) + -ptera, neuter plural of -pteros-pterous) + -ous

Words Nearby strepsipterous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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