aphis

noun

ˈā-fəs How to pronounce aphis (audio)
 also  ˈa-fəs
plural aphides ˈā-fə-ˌdēz How to pronounce aphis (audio)
ˈa-fə-
: any of a genus (Aphis) of aphids
broadly : aphid

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Aphid-, stem of Aphis, genus name, of obscure origin

Note: The genus name Aphis was introduced by linnaeus in Systema naturae, Edition decima, Tomus I (Stockholm, 1758), p. 451. No indication of origin or earlier use of the name is given. As the Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, notes, a number of purely speculative Greek etymologies are adduced by George Bowdler Bucton in Monograph of the British Aphides, vol. 1 (London, 1876), pp. 4-5.

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aphis was in 1763

Browse Nearby Words

aphidozer
aphis
aphlebia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aphis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aphis. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All