lanternfly

noun

lan·​tern·​fly ˈlan-tərn-ˌflī 

variants or less commonly lantern fly

plural lanternflies also lantern flies

: any of several large brightly marked winged hemipteran insects (family Fulgoridae) that often resemble moths or small butterflies and usually possess an elongated hollow projection on the head

The lanternflies often have beautifully colored and patterned wings, and the front of their heads is often expanded into a large bulb or snout. Because of their brilliant colors, it used to be thought that they glowed in the dark, hence their common name. They don't glow, but they can be extraordinarily beautiful.

—California Academy of Sciences

especially : spotted lanternfly

By now, most residents of central and eastern Pennsylvania are familiar with lanternflies, an invasive pest that was discovered in Berks County in 2014. It took a few years, but the lanternflies not only moved from the original site to outside Pennsylvania's borders, where they have now been identified in 11 other states, but raised their profile significantly by converging on city and suburban neighborhoods in droves.

—Paul Vigna

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1753, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lanternfly

• spotted lanternfly

Kids Definition

lantern fly

noun

: any of several large brightly marked insects that are related to the cicadas and aphids and have the front of the head lengthened into a hollow structure