firefly
/ˈfaɪ.ɚˌflaɪ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.13 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Any beetle of the family Lampyridae, which exhibit bioluminescence during twilight.
American usage
name
A locality in the MidCoast council area, eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Example Sentences
- "2000, Exploring Life Science, 2: Bats—Cave Life, Marshall Cavendish, page 96, Fireflies are the best-known insects that produce light. […] Many fireflies use their light to communicate, particularly at mating time when males and females have to get together."
- "The luciferins are different in different species and today both the luciferin and luciferase in the firefly are available in the crystalline form."
- "Various other luciferase genes, especially the firefly luciferase gene, are also used for the study of gene regulation.[…]The classic use of bioluminescence, however, is the use of a luciferin-luciferase mixture from fireflies as an assay for ATP."
Etymology
Endocentric compound of fire + fly, because the insects glow; whence also lightning bug. Compare glow fly, glowworm, and lanternfly. Compare typologically Ancient Greek λαμπυρίς (lampurís, “glowworm”) (<+ πῦρ (pûr)).
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈfaɪ.ɚˌflaɪ/
- British English: /ˈfaɪ.əˌflaɪ/
Usage
- American usage