noun
primitive winged insect with a flattened body; used as bait by fishermen; aquatic gilled larvae are carnivorous and live beneath stones
• Hypernyms: ↑insect
• Member Holonyms: ↑Plecoptera, ↑order Plecoptera
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I. \\-rən\ noun (-s)Etymology: New Latin Plecoptera + English -an
: an insect of the order Plecoptera : stone fly
II. adjective
: of or relating to the Plecoptera
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/pli kop"teuhr euhn/, adj.
1. Also, plecopterous. belonging or pertaining to the insect order Plecoptera, comprising the stoneflies.
n.
2. a plecopteran insect; stonefly.
[1885-90; NL Plecopter(a) the order ( < Gk plék(ein) to twine, twist + -o- -O- + -ptera, neut. pl. of -pteros -PTEROUS) + -AN; so named in reference to the reticulated wings, which twist back upon themselves when the insect is resting]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.