alderfly

[ awl-der-flahy ]

/ ˈɔl dərˌflaɪ /

noun, plural al·der·flies.

any of several dark-colored neuropterous insects of the family Sialidae, the larvae of which are aquatic and predacious on other aquatic insects.

Nearby words

alder, alder buckthorn, alder fly, alder flycatcher, alder's anomaly, alderfly, alderman, aldermanry, aldermaston, alderney, alderperson

Origin of alderfly

First recorded in 1820–30; alder + fly²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for alder fly

alder fly

noun

any of various neuropterous insects of the widely distributed group Sialoidea, such as Sialis lutaria, that have large broad-based hind wings, produce aquatic larvae, and occur near water

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012