Adjacent Words

Diptera definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DIPTER, DIPTERA, n. [Gr., a wing.] The dipters are an order of insects having only two wings, and two poisers, as the fly.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a large order of insects having a single pair of wings and sucking or piercing mouths; includes true flies and mosquitoes and gnats and crane flies [syn: Diptera, order Diptera]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Insecta In*sec"ta, n. pl. [NL. See Insect.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) One of the classes of Arthropoda, including those that have one pair of antenn[ae], three pairs of mouth organs, and breathe air by means of trache[ae], opening by spiracles along the sides of the body. In this sense it includes the Hexapoda, or six-legged insects and the Myriapoda, with numerous legs. See Insect, n. 2. (Zo["o]l.) In a more restricted sense, the Hexapoda alone. See Hexapoda. 3. (Zo["o]l.) In the most general sense, the Hexapoda, Myriapoda, and Arachnoidea, combined. Note: The typical Insecta, or hexapod insects, are divided into several orders, viz.: Hymenoptera, as the bees and ants; Diptera, as the common flies and gnats; Aphaniptera, or fleas; Lepidoptera, or moths and butterflies; Neuroptera, as the ant-lions and hellgamite; Coleoptera, or beetles; Hemiptera, as bugs, lice, aphids; Orthoptera, as grasshoppers and cockroaches; Pseudoneuroptera, as the dragon flies and termites; Euplexoptera, or earwings; Thysanura, as the springtails, podura, and lepisma. See these words in the Vocabulary.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Diptera Dip"te*ra, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. ? with two wings, di- = di`s- twice + ? feather, wing: cf. F. dipt[`e]re.] (Zo["o]l.) An extensive order of insects having only two functional wings and two balancers, as the house fly, mosquito, etc. They have a suctorial proboscis, often including two pairs of sharp organs (mandibles and maxill[ae]) with which they pierce the skin of animals. They undergo a complete metamorphosis, their larv[ae] (called maggots) being usually without feet.