pulvinaria

noun

pul·​vi·​nar·​ia

ˌpəlvəˈna(a)rēə

1

capitalized : a genus of scales in which the females are large, flat, and nearly circular and secrete a cottony egg case see cottony maple scale

2

plural -s : any insect of the genus Pulvinaria

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin pulvinus cushion + New Latin -aria; from the appearance of the egg case

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!