entomology

noun

en·​to·​mol·​o·​gy ˌen-tə-ˈmä-lə-jē How to pronounce entomology (audio)
: a branch of zoology that deals with insects
entomological adjective
entomologically adverb
entomologist noun

Examples of entomology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web How ladybugs were lucky Ladybugs, also called lady birds and lady beetles, are biological control agents that eat pests and protect crops, says John Losey, a professor of entomology at Cornell University. Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023 The aerial drops alone would not be enough to eradicate fruit flies, said UC Davis entomology professor James Carey, who has studied medflies since 1980 and was on the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s medfly scientific advisory panel from 1987 to 1994. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023 Ellis, a professor in the entomology and nematology department at the University of Florida, admits to experiencing between 400 and 450 stings in a single day while conducting research. Brittany Edelmann, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2023 Twenty years ago, in the early days of the mass distribution of bed nets, malaria case rates plunged immediately, and there was an optimism that the nets might be enough, said Audrey Lenhart, the chief of entomology at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stephanie Nolen Malin Fezehai, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023 In the Chicago region, for instance, this time period starts around mid-September through October, or the first hard frost of the year, said Allen Lawrance, associate curator of entomology at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum located in Chicago and operated by the Chicago Academy of Science. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2023 The class, with five students, had just finished learning about forensic entomology, the study of insects associated with crime, and doing a fingerprinting lab to gather DNA. Skyler Chun, Journal Sentinel, 13 July 2023 Besides checking yourself regularly after outdoor activity, check your pets, too, said both Jones and Kelly Loftin, professor of medical and veterinary entomology at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Doug Thompson, Arkansas Online, 9 July 2023 These days, all of Tom’s siblings have moved on and made careers out of their respective passions: Sandra is a writer; Larry is an entomology professor; and Jim is an actor and a filmmaker. Ilana Frost, Peoplemag, 23 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'entomology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French entomologie, from Greek entomon insect (from neuter of entomos cut up, from en- + temnein to cut) + French -logie -logy — more at tome

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of entomology was in 1764

Dictionary Entries Near entomology

Cite this Entry

“Entomology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entomology. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

entomology

noun
en·​to·​mol·​o·​gy ˌent-ə-ˈmäl-ə-jē How to pronounce entomology (audio)
: a branch of zoology that deals with insects
entomological adjective

Medical Definition

entomology

noun
en·​to·​mol·​o·​gy ˌent-ə-ˈmäl-ə-jē How to pronounce entomology (audio)
plural entomologies
: a branch of zoology that deals with insects
entomological adjective
entomologically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on entomology

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