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Glite Dictionary
brown-tail moth

brown-tail moth

8.8
A small brown and white moth whose caterpillars eat the leaves of fruit and shade trees
  • noun
  • /ˈbraʊnˌteɪl mɔθ/
  • UK
translation icon : polilla de cola marrón
  • The caterpillars of the brown-tail moth can irritate human skin with their tiny hairs.

Examples

  • Infestations of the brown-tail moth have caused severe defoliation in several orchards.

  • Efforts to control the spread of the brown-tail moth include removing nests during the winter.

  • The brown-tail moth is a common pest in gardens.

  • Have you seen a brown-tail moth before?

  • Infestations of the brown-tail moth have caused severe defoliation in several orchards.

  • Efforts to control the spread of the brown-tail moth include removing nests during the winter.

  • The caterpillars of the brown-tail moth can irritate human skin with their tiny hairs.

Synonyms

browntail
vsbrown-tail moth
  • UK
9.9

A small brown and white moth that eats leaves and damages fruit and shade trees

is the same species but uses the scientific name in its description
Euproctis phaeorrhoea
vsbrown-tail moth
  • Specialized
9.9

A small brown and white moth whose caterpillars damage fruit and shade trees

emphasizes introduction to eastern North America rather than just presence
Euproctis chrysorrhoea
vsbrown-tail moth
  • Specialized
9.9

A small white moth with a furry body and a yellow tail tuft that can cause skin irritation

focuses on appearance rather than introduction or pest status

Surface Forms

brown-tail moth singular
brown-tail moths plural

Morphology

brown-tail + moth

This is a descriptive compound: the meaning 'a moth with a brown tail' is directly derivable from the constituents 'brown' + 'tail' + 'moth'. Species names of this type follow transparent descriptive patterns found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Brown-tail moth is a simple name that describes how it looks: the insect has a small brown tuft at the end of its body that looks like a tail. Because of that clear image, the name points to the moth that can be a 'pest' on trees and whose caterpillar hairs can 'irritate' skin.