Dipteran

//ˈdɪp.təɹ.ən// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An insect of the large order Diptera; a fly.
  2. 2
    insects having usually a single pair of functional wings (anterior pair) with the posterior pair reduced to small knobbed structures and mouth parts adapted for sucking or lapping or piercing wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Relating to or denoting dipterans. not-comparable

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ Immediately from translingual Diptera + -an, for denoting taxonomic specification, as opposed to instances where "fly" is used informally. From Ancient Greek δίπτερος (dípteros, “two-winged”) + -an, from δι- (di-, “two, di-”) + πτερόν (pterón, “feather, wing”) + -ος (-os, “adjectival suffix”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.