damselfly
damselfly Lexical Profile
damselfly Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A slender, predatory flying insect of the suborder Zygoptera, typically found near freshwater habitats and distinguished from dragonflies by its slimmer body and the way it folds its wings back along its abdomen when resting.
"We sat by the edge of the pond and watched a bright blue damselfly land gracefully on a reed."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with the closely related dragonfly, but can be distinguished by its resting posture: a damselfly folds its wings back parallel to its body, whereas a dragonfly holds them flat and extended.
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 18th century as a compound of 'damsel' and 'fly', a reference to the insect's delicate build and graceful, fluttering flight compared to the more robust dragonfly.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.