View synonyms for dragonfly

dragonfly

[ drag-uhn-flahy ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural drag·on·flies.

any of numerous stout-bodied, nonstinging insects of the order Odonata (suborder Anisoptera), the species of which prey on mosquitoes and other insects and are distinguished from the damselflies by having the wings outstretched rather than folded when at rest.
Dragonfly, Military. a two-seat, twin-turbojet U.S. attack aircraft in service since 1967, armed with a Minigun and capable of carrying nearly 5700 pounds (2585 kilograms) of ordnance.

dragonfly

/ ˈdræɡənˌflaɪ /

See damselfly
any predatory insect of the suborder Anisoptera, having a large head and eyes, a long slender body, two pairs of iridescent wings that are outspread at rest, and aquatic larvae: order Odonata See also damselfly
any other insect of the order Odonata

First recorded in 1620–30; dragon + fly ¹

Many dragonflies zip through the air with their translucent wings painted in an array of dark spots and bands.

Heavy wing pigmentation can help dragonflies stay warm in chillier regions, but could be dangerous in hotter weather.

Using a high-speed camera, she and her colleagues watched how the bats approached dragonflies stuck to leaves.

Such thinking suggested bats wouldn’t be able to catch dragonflies.

At night, when bats are out, dragonflies are “basically sitting in the vegetation hoping not to get eaten,” Geipel says.

A Gnat and a Dragonfly, with a great many of their relations, arrived about the same time with the Beetle.

"Yes sir," Dragonfly yelled to him from the rail fence where he was already half-way through.

Poetry and I stopped our game and yelled up to Dragonfly to come on down and "play the winner," which meant either Poetry or me.

Dragonfly was still coming along not more than fifty feet behind us, with little Jim staying back with him.

I had to pass Dragonfly's open window which was still open, on account of there was still some smoke in the room.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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