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Glite Dictionary
Carabidae

Carabidae

9.9
A large group of dark ground beetles that eat other insects
  • noun
  • /ˈkɛrəˌbaɪdi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Carabidae
  • Scientists study the behavior of Carabidae to understand their role in the ecosystem.
  • family Carabidae

Examples

  • The Carabidae family includes many predatory beetles that hunt other insects.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the presence of Carabidae in their gardens because they help control pest populations.

  • The family Carabidae.

    Academic text (2003)

Surface Forms

Carabidae singular
Carabidae plural

Morphology

Carabidae = carabid (opaque) = carabid + idae

Formed with the specialized taxonomic suffix '-idae' meaning 'family', which is a technical formation unfamiliar to general learners.

Etymology

The word Carabidae comes from the genus name Carabus, which goes back to a Greek word for a hard-shelled creature like a 'beetle' or 'crab', and the family ending -idae, meaning 'group'. So Carabidae means a 'group of beetles', which is why it names this family of ground beetles.