Glowfly

/ˈɡloʊ.flaɪ/ noun

Definition

A small bioluminescent insect, typically a beetle, that produces light in its abdomen.

Etymology

Compound word from 'glow' (Old English glōwan) and 'fly' (Old English fleoge). Used as an alternative or poetic term for fireflies and similar light-producing insects in various English-speaking regions.

Kelly Says

Different regions have wildly different names for the same insect—firefly in the US, glowworm in Britain, and in some places glowfly—yet they're mostly talking about beetles in the family Lampyridae.

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