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Glite Dictionary
Lepisma saccharina

Lepisma saccharina

9.9
A small silver-grey insect without wings that eats glue in books and starchy things
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛpɪzmə sækəˈriːnə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Lepisma saccharina
  • Old libraries often struggle with damage caused by Lepisma saccharina, which feeds on the glue in book bindings.

Examples

  • We discovered a Lepisma saccharina scurrying across the bathroom floor late at night.

  • The presence of Lepisma saccharina can be a sign that there is too much moisture in your home.

  • I found a Lepisma saccharina in the bathroom.

  • The Lepisma saccharina is known for its silver-grey color.

  • Old libraries often struggle with damage caused by Lepisma saccharina, which thrives on the glue used in book bindings.

  • The presence of Lepisma saccharina indicates that your home may have too much moisture, which can attract these pests.

  • We discovered a Lepisma saccharina darting across the bathroom floor, searching for starchy materials to feed on.

Synonyms

silverfish
vsLepisma saccharina
3 6.9

A small silver-grey wingless insect that lives in houses and eats paper and clothes

is the scientific name used for the same small household insect

Surface Forms

Lepisma saccharina singular
Lepisma saccharinas plural

Morphology

Lepisma + saccharina

This is a scientific binomial name: its meaning functions taxonomically rather than as a normal compositional English phrase. A learner who knows 'Lepisma' (genus = silverfish) could identify it as that insect, but the Latin species epithet 'saccharina' is not a standard English word and does not make the overall meaning fully predictable to a B1 learner, so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

The name Lepisma saccharina may come from old words: Lepisma means 'scale' and saccharina means 'sugar'. This gives a picture of a small, shiny bug with tiny scales that likes sweet or starchy things, which is why the name is used for the house insect people call 'silverfish'.