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Glite Dictionary
blister beetle

blister beetle

1 8.0
A beetle that makes a liquid that can cause blisters on the skin
  • noun
  • /ˈblɪstər ˈbiːtəl/
translation icon : escarabajo blister

Examples

  • Pulverized blister beetle.

    Easy A (2010)

  • The secretion from blister beetles can cause painful blisters on human skin.

  • Farmers need to be cautious of blister beetles since they can harm livestock if ingested.

  • Traditional remedies for warts often use a substance extracted from blister beetles.

Synonyms

Spanish fly
vsblister beetle
1 9.7

A small bright green beetle from southern Europe that makes a liquid causing blisters

is the broader common category not limited to one species
meloid
vsblister beetle
  • Specialized
9.9

A beetle that gives off a liquid that can cause blisters on the skin

is the general everyday label for any beetle that causes skin blisters

Surface Forms

blister beetle singular
blister beetles plural

Morphology

blister + beetle

The meaning 'a beetle that produces a secretion causing blisters' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'blister' + 'beetle' — the noun–noun compound signals an insect associated with blisters. This compositional, taxonomic pattern is common in English and cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Blister beetle gets its name from the insect's oily juice that makes 'blisters'—painful skin bumps—when it touches skin. So the name links blister and beetle and explains why it means this harmful insect.