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Glite Dictionary
death's-head moth

death's-head moth

9.9
A large moth with a skull-shaped dark mark on its back
  • noun
  • /ˈdɛθzˌhɛd mɔθ/
translation icon : polilla de la muerte
  • The naturalist spotted a death's-head moth resting on the bark of a tree, fascinated by its unique skull-like marking.

Examples

  • The museum exhibit featured a stunning death's-head moth display, highlighting its distinct appearance and life cycle.

  • During the evening stroll, they noticed a death's-head moth fluttering around the garden lights.

  • Then, as we pull slowly away, we see that her staring eyes and his dead gaze are both locked onto a death's-head moth perched on an infrared bulb overhead, its wings pumping slowly.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

hawkmoth
vsdeath's-head moth
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A large moth with long wings that hovers to drink flower nectar

is more specific referring to a large European species notable for a skull mark
hawk moth
vsdeath's-head moth
  • Specialized
1 6.5

A large night insect with long wings that hovers to drink flower nectar

is more specific indicating the single European species with the skull mark
Acherontia atropos
vsdeath's-head moth
  • Specialized
9.9

A large moth from Europe with a pattern like a human skull on its back

is the common name for the same species rather than the scientific label
Acherontia
vsdeath's-head moth
  • Specialized
9.9

A large moth with a skull-shaped mark on its back

is narrower meaning one specific European species with that skull mark

Surface Forms

death's-head moth singular
death's-head moths plural

Morphology

death's-head + moth

The compound 'death's-head' is compositionally built from 'death' + 'head' and readily evokes a skull or skull-like marking; combined with 'moth' a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer it denotes a moth with a skull-like marking. This morphological logic is straightforward and cross-linguistically plausible, so the overall meaning is directly derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Death's-head moth comes from a dark mark on the insect's back that looks like a skull. The part death's-head refers to that 'skull-shaped marking' and moth is the insect, so the name simply means a moth with a skull on its back.