Category:Moth

Moth (môth), n.

Defn: A mote. [Obs.] Shak.

moth Moth, n.; pl. Moths (môthz). Etym: [OE. mothe, AS. moedhedhe; akin to D. mot, G. motte, Icel. motti, and prob. to E. mad an earthworm. Cf. Mad, n., Mawk.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io moth; hawk moth.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: 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. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvæ of several species of beetles of the genera Dermestes and Anthrenus. Carpet moths are often the larvæ of Anthrenus. See Carpet beetle, under Carpet, Dermestes, Anthrenus.

4. Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing. Moth blight (Zoöl.), any plant louse of the genus Aleurodes, and related genera. They are injurious to various plants. -- Moth gnat (Zoöl.), a dipterous insect of the genus Bychoda, having fringed wings. -- Moth hunter (Zoöl.), the goatsucker. -- Moth miller (Zoöl.), 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.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Moth - Heb. 'ash, from a root meaning "to fall away," as moth-eaten garments fall to pieces (Job 4:19; Job 13:28; Isaiah 50:9; Isaiah 51:8; Hosea 5:12). Gr. ses, thus rendered in Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20; Luke 12:33. Allusion is thus made to the destruction of clothing by the larvae of the clothes-moth. This is the only lepidopterous insect referred to in Scripture.