mantispid

[ man-tis-pid ]

noun

1. any neuropterous, mantislike insect of the family Mantispidae, the larvae of which are parasites in the nests of spiders or wasps.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mantispid¹

< New Latin Mantispidae family of insects, equivalent to Mantisp ( a ) genus name (apparently erroneously for *Mantiopa, equivalent to manti ( s ) mantis + Greek -ōp ( s ) having a face (of a given sort), resembling (adj. use of ṓps face, eye; -opsis ) + New Latin -a -a ² ) + -idae -id ²