Scale insect

Scale insect
Scale Scale, n. [Cf. AS. scealu, scalu, a shell, parings; akin to D. schaal, G. schale, OHG. scala, Dan. & Sw. skal a shell, Dan. ski[ae]l a fish scale, Goth. skalja tile, and E. shale, shell, and perhaps also to scale of a balance; but perhaps rather fr. OF. escale, escaile, F. ['e]caille scale of a fish, and ['e]cale shell of beans, pease, eggs, nuts, of German origin, and akin to Goth. skalja, G. schale. See {Shale}.] 1. (Anat.) One of the small, thin, membranous, bony or horny pieces which form the covering of many fishes and reptiles, and some mammals, belonging to the dermal part of the skeleton, or dermoskeleton. See {Cycloid}, {Ctenoid}, and {Ganoid}. [1913 Webster]

Fish that, with their fins and shining scales, Glide under the green wave. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. Hence, any layer or leaf of metal or other material, resembling in size and thinness the scale of a fish; as, a scale of iron, of bone, etc. [1913 Webster]

3. (Zo["o]l.) One of the small scalelike structures covering parts of some invertebrates, as those on the wings of Lepidoptera and on the body of Thysanura; the elytra of certain annelids. See {Lepidoptera}. [1913 Webster]

4. (Zo["o]l.) A scale insect. (See below.) [1913 Webster]

5. (Bot.) A small appendage like a rudimentary leaf, resembling the scales of a fish in form, and often in arrangement; as, the scale of a bud, of a pine cone, and the like. The name is also given to the chaff on the stems of ferns. [1913 Webster]

6. The thin metallic side plate of the handle of a pocketknife. See Illust. of {Pocketknife}. [1913 Webster]

7. An incrustation deposit on the inside of a vessel in which water is heated, as a steam boiler. [1913 Webster]

8. (Metal.) The thin oxide which forms on the surface of iron forgings. It consists essentially of the magnetic oxide, {Fe3O4}. Also, a similar coating upon other metals. [1913 Webster]

{Covering scale} (Zo["o]l.), a hydrophyllium.

{Ganoid scale}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Ganoid}.

{Scale armor} (Mil.), armor made of small metallic scales overlapping, and fastened upon leather or cloth.

{Scale beetle} (Zo["o]l.), the tiger beetle.

{Scale carp} (Zo["o]l.), a carp having normal scales.

{Scale insect} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of small hemipterous insects belonging to the family {Coccid[ae]}, in which the females, when adult, become more or less scalelike in form. They are found upon the leaves and twigs of various trees and shrubs, and often do great damage to fruit trees. See {Orange scale},under {Orange}.

{Scale moss} (Bot.), any leafy-stemmed moss of the order {Hepatic[ae]}; -- so called from the small imbricated scalelike leaves of most of the species. See {Hepatica}, 2, and {Jungermannia}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Scale insect — Temporal range: Lower Cretaceous–recent …   Wikipedia

  • scale insect — n. any of various families of small homopteran insects destructive to plants: the females secrete a round, wax scale under which they live and lay their eggs …   English World dictionary

  • scale insect — any of numerous small, plant sucking homopterous insects of the superfamily Coccoidea, the males of which are winged and the females wingless, often covered by a waxy secretion resembling scales. [1830 40] * * * Any member of several families of… …   Universalium

  • scale insect — scale′ in sect n. ent any of numerous small plant sucking insects of the superfamily Coccoidea, the females of which are often covered by a waxy secretion resembling scales …   From formal English to slang

  • scale insect — noun small homopterous insect that usually lives and feeds on plants and secretes a protective waxy covering • Hypernyms: ↑coccid insect • Hyponyms: ↑soft scale, ↑wax insect, ↑armored scale, ↑cochineal insect, ↑cochineal, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • scale insect — type of insect that attaches itself to a plant and feeds on the leaves …   English contemporary dictionary

  • scale insect — noun Date: 1840 any of numerous small prolific homopterous insects (superfamily Coccoidea) that have winged males, wingless scale covered females attached to the host plant, and young that suck the juices of plants and some of which are serious… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • scale insect — noun a small bug which secretes a protective shield like scale and spends its life attached to a single plant. [Family Coccidae: many species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • scale insect — /ˈskeɪl ˌɪnsɛkt/ (say skayl .insekt) noun any of various small plant destroying insects of the homopterous superfamily Coccoidea, the females of which mostly have the body and eggs covered by a large scale or shield formed by secretions …  

  • Scale — Scale, n. [Cf. AS. scealu, scalu, a shell, parings; akin to D. schaal, G. schale, OHG. scala, Dan. & Sw. skal a shell, Dan. ski[ae]l a fish scale, Goth. skalja tile, and E. shale, shell, and perhaps also to scale of a balance; but perhaps rather… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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