Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Moth

Moth

(mŏth)
,
Noun.
A mote.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Moth

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Moths
(mŏthz)
.
[OE.
mothe
, AS.
moððe
; akin to D.
mot
, G.
motte
, Icel.
motti
, and prob. to E.
mad
an earthworm. Cf.
Mad
,
Noun.
,
Mawk
.]
1.
(Zool.)
Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies;
as, the luna
moth
; Io
moth
; hawk
moth
.
2.
(Zool.)
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.
(Zool.)
Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvae of several species of beetles of the genera
Dermestes
and
Anthrenus
. Carpet moths are often the larvae of
Anthrenus
. See
Carpet beetle
, under
Carpet
,
Dermestes
,
Anthrenus
.
4.
Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing.
Moth blight
(Zool.)
,
any plant louse of the genus
Aleurodes
, and related genera. They are injurious to various plants.
–
Moth gnat
(Zool.)
,
a dipterous insect of the genus
Bychoda
, having fringed wings.
–
Moth hunter
(Zool.)
,
the goatsucker.
–
Moth miller
(Zool.)
,
a clothes moth. See
Miller
, 3,
(a)
.
–
Moth mullein
(Bot.)
,
a common herb of the genus
Verbascum
(
Verbascum Blattaria
), having large wheel-shaped yellow or whitish flowers.

Webster 1828 Edition

Moth

MOTH

, n.
1.
An animal of the genus Phalaena, which breeds in yard and garments, and often does injury by eating the substance and destroying the texture. Matt.6.
The name is also applied to the whole genus.
2.
Figuratively, that which gradually and silently eats, consumes or wastes any thing. Idle persons are a moth to the community.

Similar Results