Chrysomelidae

plural noun

Chrys·o·mel·i·dae

: a large family of small usually oval or rounded and often smooth, shining and brightly colored beetles comprising the leaf beetles having small heads, short antennae, and inconspicuous mouthparts and feeding on leaves both as larvae and adults with some (as the cucumber beetles and the Colorado potato beetle) being serious pests of cultivated plants

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Chrysomela, type genus (modification of Greek chrysomēlon quince, from chrys- + mēlon apple, tree-fruit, influenced in meaning by Greek chrysomēlolonthion little golden cockchafer, from chrys- + mēlolonthē cockchafer + diminutive suffix -ion) + -idae