noun
insect that resembles a mantis; larvae are parasites in the nests of spiders and wasps
• Hypernyms: ↑neuropteron, ↑neuropteran, ↑neuropterous insect
• Member Holonyms: ↑Mantispidae, ↑family Mantispidae
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I. \\-pə̇d\ adjectiveEtymology: New Latin Mantispidae
: of or relating to the Mantispidae
II. noun
(-s)
: an insect of the family Mantispidae
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/man tis"pid/, n.
any neuropterous, mantislike insect of the family Mantispidae, the larvae of which are parasites in the nests of spiders or wasps.
[ < NL Mantispidae family of insects, equiv. to Mantisp(a) genus name (appar. erroneously for *Mantiopa, equiv. to manti(s) MANTIS + Gk -op(s) having a face (of a given sort), resembling (adj. use of óps face, eye; cf. -OPSIS) + NL -a -A2) + -idae -ID2]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.