Cephus
Definition of Cephus
: a genus (the type of the family Cephidae) of small sawflies having larvae that bore in the stems of plants and including serious pests especially of cereal grasses — see wheat stem sawfly
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
There's more!
Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:
- More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
- Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
- Advanced search features
- Ad free!
Origin and Etymology of cephus
borrowed from New Latin, perhaps extracted from Greek kēphḗn “drone bee” ◆Genus name introduced by the French entomologist Pierre André Latreille (1762-1833) in Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des Crustacés et des Insectes (“Sonnini’s Buffon”), vol. 3 (Paris, An X [1802]), p. 303. Latreille gives no clue to the origin of the name, which replaces Sirex pygmaeus of Linnaeus.
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up Cephus? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!