dipterous
Americanadjective
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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.
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Botany. having two winglike appendages, as seeds or stems.
adjective
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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
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botany having two winglike parts
a dipterous seed
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dipterous
1765–75; < New Latin dipterus < Greek dípteros; see Diptera, -ous
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.
Zimb, zimb, n. an Abyssinian dipterous insect, like the tsetse, hurtful to cattle.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Death of an ornate box turtle parasitized by dipterous larvae.
From Natural History of the Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata Agassiz by John M. Legler
Setarious aristate: the dipterous antenna when the arista is simple.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
Cran′age, the use of a crane: the price paid for the use of it; Crane′-fly, a genus of dipterous insects, nearly allied to the gnats, with very long legs.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Skippers: a popular term for Hesperid butterflies: the dipterous larva sometimes found in cheese and other provisions.
From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith
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