treehopper

American  

[tree-hop-er] / ˈtriˌhɒp ər /

noun

1. any of numerous homopterous jumping insects of the family Membracidae, that have an enlarged prothorax and feed on the juices of plants, often injuring the plants.

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treehopper British  

/ ˈtriːˌhɒpə /

noun

1. any homopterous insect of the family Membracidae , which live among trees and other plants and typically have a large hoodlike thoracic process curving backwards over the body

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Etymology

Origin of treehopper

First recorded in 1830–40; tree + hopper

Example Sentences

The cover featured a bizarre-looking South American insect called the ball-bearing treehopper.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 19, 2017

When they traced the development of a treehopper, Gompel and Prud'homme found that the helmet started off as two separate buds of tissue on the back of the nymph and later fused.

From Science Magazine • May 4, 2011

The two developmental biologists from the Institute of Developmental Biology of Marseilles-Luminy in France and their colleagues took a close look at five treehopper species.

From Science Magazine • May 4, 2011