/kris'euh mel"id, -mee"lid/ , n.
1. any beetle of the family Chrysomelidae, comprising the leaf beetles.
adj.
2. belonging or pertaining to the family Chrysomelidae.
[ 1920-25; Chrysomelidae name of the family, equiv. to Chrysomel ( a ) a genus (fem. deriv. of Gk chrysómelon quince, equiv. to chryso- CHRYSO- + mêlon apple; see -A 4 ) + -idae -ID 2 ]