dipterous

American  

[dip-ter-uhs] / ˈdɪp tər əs /

adjective

1. Entomology. belonging or pertaining to the order Diptera, comprising the houseflies, mosquitoes, and gnats, characterized by a single, anterior pair of membranous wings with the posterior pair reduced to small, knobbed structures.

2. Botany. having two winglike appendages, as seeds or stems.

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dipterous British  

/ ˈdɪptərəs /

adjective

1. Also: dipteran. of, relating to, or belonging to the Diptera, a large order of insects having a single pair of wings and sucking or piercing mouthparts. The group includes flies, mosquitoes, craneflies, and midges

2. botany having two winglike parts

   a dipterous seed

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Other Word Forms

• nondipterous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dipterous

1765–75; < New Latin dipterus < Greek dípteros; see Diptera, -ous

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dipterous

It was November, a season of heavy dipterous mortality.

From The Vertical City by Fannie Hurst

Pupigerous: forming a larval pupariuni: coarctate: said of dipterous larva that contract to form an envelope for the inclosed pupa.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith

For′ester, one who has charge of a forest: an inhabitant of a forest; For′est-fly, a dipterous insect sometimes called Horse-fly, from the annoyance it causes horses.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Notice of a case in which the larvæ of a dipterous insect, supposed to be Anthomyia canicularis, Meig., were expelled in large quantities from the human intestines.

From Insects and Diseases A Popular Account of the Way in Which Insects may Spread or Cause some of our Common Diseases by Rennie Wilbur Doane

Flabs: the lobes at the tip of the dipterous mouth:= labella; q.v.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith