MOTH


Meaning of MOTH in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈmȯth ]

noun

( plural moths ˈmȯthz, ˈmȯths)

Etymology: Middle English mothe, from Old English moththe; akin to Middle High German motte moth

Date: before 12th century

1. : clothes moth

2. : any of various usually nocturnal lepidopteran insects with antennae that are often feathery, with a stouter body, duller coloring, and proportionately smaller wings than the butterflies, and with larvae that are plant-eating caterpillars

• moth·like -ˌlīk adjective

• mothy ˈmȯ-thē adjective

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.