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alderfly

[ awl-der-flahy ]
/ ˈɔl dərˌflaɪ /
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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.
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Origin of alderfly

First recorded in 1820–30; alder + fly1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for alderfly

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
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