Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Moth?

\Moth\ (m[o^]th), n. A mote. [Obs.] --Shak.
\Moth\, n.; pl. {Moths} (m[o^]thz). [OE. mothe, AS. mo[eth][eth]e; akin to D. mot, G. motte, Icel. motti, and prob. to E. mad an earthworm. Cf. {Mad}, n., {Mawk}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io moth; hawk moth. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon garments, grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth; bee moth. See these terms under {Clothes}, {Grain}, etc. 3. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larv[ae] of several species of beetles of the genera {Dermestes} and {Anthrenus}. Carpet moths are often the larv[ae] of Anthrenus. See {Carpet beetle}, under {Carpet}, {Dermestes}, {Anthrenus}. 4. Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing. {Moth blight} (Zo["o]l.), any plant louse of the genus {Aleurodes}, and related genera. They are injurious to various plants. {Moth gnat} (Zo["o]l.), a dipterous insect of the genus {Bychoda}, having fringed wings. {Moth hunter} (Zo["o]l.), the goatsucker. {Moth miller} (Zo["o]l.), a clothes moth. See {Miller}, 3, (a) . {Moth mullein} (Bot.), a common herb of the genus {Verbascum} ({V. Blattaria}), having large wheel-shaped yellow or whitish flowers.