plecopteran

noun

ple·​cop·​ter·​an pli-ˈkäp-tə-rən How to pronounce plecopteran (audio)
plecopteran adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Plecoptera, order name (from Greek plékein "to plait, braid" + -o- -o- + -ptera, neuter plural of -pteros "having a wing [of the kind specified]," derivative of pterón "wing") + -an entry 1; so called from the intricate venation of the wings — more at ply entry 3, feather

Note: The taxon was introduced by the German zoologist Hermann Burmeister (1807-92) in Handbuch der Entomologie, 2. Band, 2 Abtheilung (Berlin, 1839), p. 863.

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plecopteran was circa 1890

Dictionary Entries Near plecopteran

Cite this Entry

“Plecopteran.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plecopteran. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

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