Word
acanthopterous
Phoneticsacan·thopter·ous
Definition
adj. having wings that look like they are covered in small, sharp spines or points. This is a word used to describe the wings of certain insects.
adj. possessing wings that are covered with small, sharp spines or points. Typically used in entomology to describe the wing structure of specific insect families.
Examples
“The acanthopterous wings of the beetle are very distinctive.”
“The entomologist noted that the specimen's acanthopterous wings were a key feature for identifying the species.”
“While many insects have smooth or veined wings, the acanthopterous structure provides a unique defensive mechanism against predators by making the wings difficult to grasp.”
Examples
simple
“The acanthopterous wings of the beetle are very distinctive.”
contextual
“The entomologist noted that the specimen's acanthopterous wings were a key feature for identifying the species.”
complex
“While many insects have smooth or veined wings, the acanthopterous structure provides a unique defensive mechanism against predators by making the wings difficult to grasp.”
Etymology
From acantho- + -pterous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/acanthopterous