saturniid

sa·tur·ni·id  (s-tûrn-d, s-)

n.

Any of various often large and colorful moths of the family Saturniidae, such as the emperor moth.

adj.

Of or belonging to the Saturniidae.

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[From New Latin Sturniidae, family name, from Sturnia, type genus, from Latin, daughter of Saturn, from feminine of Sturnius, Saturnian, from Sturnus, Saturn; see Saturn.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

saturniid - large brightly colored and usually tropical moth; larvae spin silken cocoons saturniid moth moth - typically crepuscular or nocturnal insect having a stout body and feathery or hairlike antennae family Saturniidae, Saturniidae - important and widely distributed family of moths including some of the largest insects known emperor moth, Saturnia pavonia, emperor - large moth of temperate forests of Eurasia having heavily scaled transparent wings Eacles imperialis, imperial moth - large American moth having yellow wings with purplish or brownish markings; larvae feed on e.g. maple and pine trees giant silkworm moth, silkworm moth - any silkworm moth of the family Saturniidae Actias luna, luna moth - large pale-green American moth with long-tailed hind wings and a yellow crescent-shaped mark on each forewing cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia, cecropia - North American silkworm moth; larvae feed on the leaves of forest trees Automeris io, io moth - large yellow American moth having a large eyelike spot on each hind wing; the larvae have stinging spines Antheraea polyphemus, polyphemus moth - very large yellowish-brown American silkworm moth with large eyespots on hind wings; larvae feed on fruit and shade trees Antheraea pernyi, pernyi moth - a Chinese moth that produces a brownish silk Antheraea mylitta, tussah, tusseh, tusser, tussore, tussur - oriental moth that produces brownish silk