vespertilio

noun

ves·​per·​til·​io

1

capitalized : the type genus of Vespertilionidae formerly comprehensive but now comprising solely the frosted bat (V. murinus) or slightly extended to include the serotine and the American brown bats which are more often placed in the genus Eptesicus

2

plural -s : any bat of the genus Vespertilio

broadly : bat

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, bat, from vesper evening

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!