thrips
[thrips]
- any of several minute insects of the order Thysanoptera, that have long, narrow wings fringed with hairs and that infest and feed on a wide variety of weeds and crop plants.
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Origin of thrips
1650–60; < New Latin < Greek thríps (singular) woodworm
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for thrips
Contemporary Examples
Every frozen or fresh package of spinach can contain up to 50 aphids, mites, or thrips before the FDA labels it contaminated.
Historical Examples
Of these, mealy-bug, red-spider, thrips and mildew are most troublesome.
Manual of American Grape-GrowingU. P. Hedrick
Thrips are readily controlled by means of nicotine-sulphate.
Garden Pests in New ZealandD. Miller
Brown and blackish spots on Pears are caused by a species of Thrips.
Disease in PlantsH. Marshall Ward
They were commonly stated to be pollinated by thrips and other insects.
Cocoa and ChocolateArthur W. Knapp
Thrips, another small insect, is sometimes troublesome but not often and is now easily controlled by applications of nicotine.
Manual of American Grape-GrowingU. P. Hedrick
thrips
- any of various small slender-bodied insects of the order Thysanoptera, typically having piercing mouthparts and narrow feathery wings and feeding on plant sap. Some species are serious plant pests
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Word Origin
C18: via New Latin from Greek: woodworm
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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