/koh'lee op"teuhr euh, kol'ee-/ , n.
the order comprising the beetles.
[ 1755-65; koleóptera, neut. pl. of KOLEÓPTEROS sheath-winged, equiv. to koleo- (comb. form repr. koleón sheath, scabbard; see -O-) + -pteros -PTEROUS; term used by Aristotle in describing beetles ]