mecopteran

me·cop·ter·an  (m-kptr-n)

n.

Any of various carnivorous insects of the order Mecoptera, which includes the scorpion flies, characterized by long membranous wings and an elongated beaklike head having chewing mouthparts at the tip.

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[From New Latin Mcoptera, order name : Greek mkos, length; see mk- in Indo-European roots + Greek ptera, pl. of pteron, wing; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]

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me·copter·ous adj.

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mecopteran  (m-kptr-n)

Any of various carnivorous insects of the order Mecoptera, characterized by long, membranous wings and an elongated, beaklike head having chewing mouthparts at the tip. Scorpion flies are mecopterans.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

mecopteran - any of various carnivorous insects of the order Mecoptera insect - small air-breathing arthropod Mecoptera, order Mecoptera - an order of carnivorous insects usually having long membranous wings and long beaklike heads with chewing mouths at the tip scorpion fly - any of various mecopterous insects of the family Panorpidae of the northern hemisphere having a long beak and long antennae; males have a tail like that of a scorpion except it is not venomous hanging fly - any of various mecopterous insects of the family Bittacidae