Mecoptera

plural noun

Me·​cop·​tera

məˈkäptərə

: an order of primitive carnivorous insects usually having membranous heavily veined wings, a long beak with biting mouthparts at the tip, and larvae that live in soil and including the scorpion flies and hanging flies

mecopteran

-tərən

noun

plural -s

mecopterous

-t(ə)rəs

adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from mec- + -ptera

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