Lepidoptera

Lep`i`dop´te`ra    (~dǒp´tė`rå)

n. pl.

1.

(Zool.) An order of insects, which includes the butterflies and moths. They have broad wings, covered with minute overlapping scales, usually brightly colored.

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Lepidoptera

an order of insects comprising the butterflies, moths, and skippers, that as adults have four membranous wings more or less covered with scales. — lepidopterous, lepidopteral, adj.

See also: Butterflies

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Lepidoptera - moths and butterflies order Lepidoptera animal order - the order of animals class Hexapoda, class Insecta, Hexapoda, Insecta - insects; about five-sixths of all known animal species lepidopteran, lepidopteron, lepidopterous insect - insect that in the adult state has four wings more or less covered with tiny scales family Nymphalidae, Nymphalidae - large beautifully colored butterflies family Satyridae, Satyridae - a widely distributed family of butterflies common near the edges of woods Danaidae, family Danaidae - small family of usually tropical butterflies: monarch butterflies family Pieridae, Pieridae - arthropod family including cabbage butterflies; sulphur butterflies family Lycaenidae, Lycaenidae - family of small usually brilliantly colored butterflies; males have short forelegs family Tortricidae, Tortricidae - leaf rollers and codling moths family Lymantriidae, Lymantriidae - tussock moths family Geometridae, Geometridae - measuring worms family Pyralidae, family Pyralididae, Pyralidae, Pyralididae - bee moths; corn borers; flour moths superfamily Tineoidea, Tineoidea - clothes moths; carpet moths; leaf miners family Gelechiidae, Gelechiidae - important economic pests family Noctuidae, Noctuidae - cutworms; armyworms family Sphingidae, Sphingidae - hawkmoths Bombycidae, family Bombycidae - Chinese silkworm moth family Saturniidae, Saturniidae - important and widely distributed family of moths including some of the largest insects known Arctiidae, family Arctiidae - tiger moths family Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampidae - tent caterpillars; eggars; lappet moths caterpillar - a wormlike and often brightly colored and hairy or spiny larva of a butterfly or moth