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Coleoptera

American  
[koh-lee-op-ter-uh, kol-ee-] / ˌkoʊ liˈɒp tər ə, ˌkɒl i- /

noun

  1. the order comprising the beetles.


Etymology

Origin of Coleoptera

1755–65; < New Latin < Greek koleóptera, neuter plural of koleópteros sheath-winged, equivalent to koleo- (combining form representing koleón sheath, scabbard; see -o-) + -pteros -pterous; term used by Aristotle in describing beetles

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Across North America, there are an estimated 170 fireflies species, which are technically beetles in the order Coleoptera, but inventorying them is a challenge.

From Salon Sep. 21, 2023

And the order Coleoptera couldn’t ask for a better Boswell than Durin.

From New York Times Dec. 2, 2013

The Coleoptera order, where beetles reside, has more species than any other order: it takes an encyclopedic knowledge to know beetles well.

From New York Times Nov. 13, 2012

From the Trias of Colorado, Scudder has described cockroaches intermediate between their Carboniferous precursors and their present-day descendants, while the existence of endopterygotous Hexapods is shown by the remains of Coleoptera of several families.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 4 "Hero" to "Hindu Chronology" by Various

Few persons have had a more extended experience in collecting Coleoptera than Mr. E. A. Schwarz, one of my assistants, and the following account has been prepared by him at my request and is given in extenso.

From Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects by Riley, C. V.

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