haltere
A small knobbed structure in some two-winged insects, one of a pair that are flapped…A small knobbed structure in some two-winged insects, one of a pair that are flapped rapidly and function as accelerometers to maintain stability in flight.
Meaning
1 sensesA small knobbed structure in some two-winged insects, one of a pair that are flapped rapidly and function as accelerometers to maintain stability in flight.
Haltere, Schwingkölbchen
жужжа́льцеžužžálʹce
- either of the rudimentary hind wings of dipterous insects; used for maintaining equilibrium during flight
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Ancient Greek ἁλτῆρες (haltêres, “weights held in the hand to give an impetus in leapFrom Ancient Greek ἁλτῆρες (haltêres, “weights held in the hand to give an impetus in leaping”). Note that in the original Greek, there seems to have been no singular for ἁλτῆρες (haltêres), and some authorities maintain that halteres is a plurale tantum, but in English entomological usage, haltere sometimes appears as a back-formation. Sometimes the singular halter is used instead, but this may lead to confusion with other, unrelated meanings of halter.
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