an order of insects that comprises the butterflies and moths. They have four large scale-covered wings that bear distinctive markings, and larvae that are caterpillars.
(lepidoptera) insects of the order Lepidoptera:the larvae of a number of lepidoptera feed on the leaves
Derivatives
lepidopteran
adjective & noun
lepidopterous
adjective
Origin:
modern Latin (plural), from Greek lepis, lepid- 'scale' + pteron 'wing'
Lepidoptera in other Oxford dictionaries
Definition of Lepidoptera in the US English dictionary
