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Definition of aphid

aphid

/ˈeɪ.fɪd/
a · phid
Plural:aphids
•
Adjective:aphidian
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aphid Lexical Profile

aphid Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, soft-bodied insect of the superfamily Aphidoidea that feeds by sucking nutrient-rich sap from plants, frequently acting as a vector for plant viruses and causing significant damage to agricultural crops and garden foliage.

Example

"The horticulturist introduced native ladybugs into the greenhouse as a biological control to decimate the population of aphids damaging the rose bushes."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for aphid

• Nearby Words

apennines
apex
aphelandra
aphid
apia
apistogramma
apo

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in Modern Latin as 'aphides' (plural of 'Aphis') by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, possibly derived from Ancient Greek 'aphidēs' meaning 'unsparing' or 'lavish' (in reference to their rapid reproduction and destructiveness), though the exact origin remains uncertain.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Aphid. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/aphid
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