/strep sip"teuhr euhs/ , adj.
belonging or pertaining to the order Strepsiptera, comprising minute insects that are closely related to the beetles, the twisted-winged male being free-living and the wingless female parasitic in various insect hosts.
[ 1810-20; Strepsipter ( a ) order name ( strepsi- (s. of strépsis a turning round, equiv. to strep- (var. s. of stréphein to twist, turn; cf. STREPTO-) + -sis -SIS) + - ptera, neut. pl. of -pteros -PTEROUS) + -OUS ]