fore-wing

8.2

The front wing on an insect with four wings, like a butterfly or beetle

noun
/ˈfɔrˌwɪŋ/

Specialized

: ala delantera

Damage to an insect's fore-wing can greatly affect its ability to fly.

Examples

In some beetles, the fore-wing hardens into a protective cover called an elytron.
The butterfly's fore-wing displays a striking pattern of colors.
The butterfly's fore-wing is beautifully patterned.
Beetles have strong fore-wings to protect their bodies.
Damage to an insect's fore-wing can greatly affect its ability to fly.
In some beetles, the fore-wing hardens into a protective cover called an elytron.
The butterfly's fore-wing displays a striking pattern of colors.

Synonyms

forewing

vsfore-wing

Specialized

1 7.7

A front wing on insects with four wings

is the same meaning but written with a hyphen

fore wing

vsfore-wing

Specialized

7.8

One of the front pair of thin parts an insect uses to fly when it has four wings

is the same meaning but written with a hyphen

Surface Forms

fore-wing singular

fore-wings plural

Morphology

fore-wing = wing (transparent) = fore + wing

The prefix 'fore-' clearly indicates the front position, making the meaning of 'fore-wing' directly understandable as the front wing.

Etymology

Fore-wing is a simple compound word: fore- means 'front' or 'before' and wing is the ordinary word 'wing'. So, fore-wing literally names the wing at the front of an insect, which is why it refers to the insect's front pair of wings.