anopheles

[ uh-nof-uh-leez ]
/ əˈnɒf əˌliz /

noun, plural a·noph·e·les.

any mosquito of the genus Anopheles, certain species of which are vectors of the parasite causing malaria in humans, distinguished from other mosquitoes by the absence of breathing tubes in the larvae and by the head-downward stance of the adult while resting or feeding.
Compare culex.

Origin of anopheles

1895–1900; < New Latin < Greek anōphelḗs useless, hurtful, harmful, equivalent to an- an-1 + -ōpheles- variant stem of óphelos profit; earlier ( a)n- (with vowel lengthening) + opheles-, written in Mycenaean Greek as nopere

OTHER WORDS FROM anopheles

a·noph·e·line [uh-nof-uh-lahyn, -lin] /əˈnɒf əˌlaɪn, -lɪn/, adjective, noun

Words nearby anopheles

anonychia, anonym, anonymity, anonymize, anonymous, anopheles, anophthalmia, anopia, anopisthograph, anoplasty, anorak

Example sentences from the Web for anopheles

British Dictionary definitions for anopheles

anopheles
/ (əˈnɒfɪˌliːz) /

noun plural -les

any of various mosquitoes constituting the genus Anopheles, some species of which transmit the malaria parasite to man

Word Origin for anopheles

C19: via New Latin from Greek anōphelēs useless, from an- + ōphelein to help, from ophelos help

Medical definitions for anopheles

Anopheles
[ ə-nŏf′ə-lēz′ ]

n.

A genus of mosquitoes containing over 90 species, many of which are vectors of malaria.

Other words from Anopheles

a•noph•e•line (-līn′) adj.