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Glite Dictionary
clerid

clerid

9.9
A small beetle that eats other insects and often has bright, shiny colours
  • noun
  • /ˈklɛrɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : clerido
  • Clerids are known to hunt bark beetles, making them useful in pest control.

Examples

  • The entomologist discovered a rare clerid among the decaying wood.

  • The bright metallic sheen made the clerid easy to spot on the tree trunk.

  • The clerid beetle is known for its bright colors.

  • Many clerids are effective pest controllers.

  • Clerids are brightly colored beetles that often prey on other insects in gardens.

  • The shiny body of the clerid attracted attention as it moved swiftly among the leaves.

  • A clerid beetle can often be found on trees, where it hunts for pest insects.

Synonyms

clerid beetle
vsclerid
  • Specialized
8.9

A brightly coloured, often shiny beetle that eats other insects

has identical meaning but appears as the shorter form without the noun

Compounds

clerid beetle
  • Specialized
8.9

A brightly coloured, often shiny beetle that eats other insects

Surface Forms

clerid singular
clerids plural

Morphology

clerid = Cleridae (opaque) = cler + id

The form uses the technical taxonomic suffix '-id' deriving from the family name Cleridae; this formation and the meaning 'a beetle' are not transparent to average learners unfamiliar with scientific naming conventions.

Etymology

Clerid comes from the beetle family name Cleridae, the scientific group for these insects. A helpful way to remember clerid is to picture a small, shiny hunter beetle, because clerids are often bright and 'predatory' on other insects.