Bombycids

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Members of the family Bombycidae, which includes the silkworm moth and other moths known for producing silk or silk-like substances
2. Moths belonging to the family Bombycidae, a group historically significant for silk production and characterized by their fuzzy bodies and limited wing patterns
3. Insects of the family Bombycidae, comprising various moth species associated with sericulture and natural fiber production

Etymology: "Bombycids" is the plural of "bombycid", a member of the family Bombycidae, the silk moths. The family name is a scientific coinage built on the Greek "bombyx", meaning silkworm or silk moth, which in turn gave English the word "bombyx" for the genus of silkworms. Bombycids are therefore named for the same creatures that spin the silk the family is known for. Because the word is a plural of "bombycid", it simply tells you there is more than one such moth. The underlying form carries the Greek root and the taxonomic suffix that scientists attached to family names.