What does "anopheles" mean?
A mosquito of the genus Anopheles, some insects of which transmit various parasites of the genus Plasmodium that are the cause of malaria.
Anopheles
/əˈnɒfɪliːz/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mosquito of the genus Anopheles, some insects of which transmit various parasites of the genus Plasmodium that are the cause of malaria.
- Grammar: anopheles is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: anopheline mosquitoes, malarial mosquitoes, malarial vectors, mosquito genus.
- Useful contrasts: nonanopheline mosquitoes, nonmalaria vectors, nonvector species.
- Usage evidence: Wondji noted other species of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, like Anopheles gambiae, are starting to become resistant to pyrethroids, although that is occurring through a different biological mechanism.
How to use "anopheles"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "anopheles" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "anopheles" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "anopheles" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mosquito of the genus Anopheles, some insects of which transmit various parasites of the genus Plasmodium that are the cause of malaria. also, attributive, broadly
"Analogy with the malaria-carrying mosquito points to the various kinds of anopheles, and perhaps to some species of the ordinary mosquito or culex, as being possible bearers of the disease."
Synonyms
All synonyms anopheline mosquitoesmalarial mosquitoesmalarial vectorsmosquito genusvector group
Antonyms
nonanopheline mosquitoesnonmalaria vectorsnonvector species
Example
"Wondji noted other species of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, like Anopheles gambiae, are starting to become resistant to pyrethroids, although that is occurring through a different biological mechanism."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "anopheles"?
Common synonyms include: anopheline mosquitoes, malarial mosquitoes, malarial vectors, mosquito genus, vector group.
How do you use "anopheles" in a sentence?
Wondji noted other species of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, like Anopheles gambiae, are starting to become resistant to pyrethroids, although that is occurring through a different biological mechanism.
How do you pronounce "anopheles"?
Pronounced /əˈnɒfɪliːz/.
Etymology
Borrowed from translingual Anopheles (“genus of mosquitoes”), coined by the German entomologist Johann Wilhelm Meigen (1764–1845), from Ancient Greek ἀνωφελής (anōphelḗs, “unprofitable, useless; hurtful, prejudicial”), from ἀν- (an-) (a variant of ᾰ̓- (ă-, prefix forming terms having senses opposite to stems or terms to which it is attached)) + ὄφελος (óphelos, “advantage, benefit, good”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃bʰel-) + -ης (-ēs, suffix forming third-declension adjectives).