Snakefly

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An insect of the order Raphidioptera, recognizable by its long, snake-like neck and elongated prothorax, found mainly on trees in the Northern Hemisphere
2. A predatory net-winged insect whose elongated prothorax gives it a serpentine appearance, typically found on tree bark and foliage in temperate forests
3. Any member of the small order Raphidioptera, a group of carnivorous insects distinguished by a markedly elongated neck-like front segment of the body

Etymology: Snakefly is a compound of "snake" and "fly", the names of two creatures that have nothing in common except a long, slender look. The insect in question, an order of predatory insects with an elongated, snake-like neck, earned the name from that visual impression rather than from any connection to reptiles. Its prey is mostly small soft-bodied insects, which it seizes with forelegs held in a raised, folded position. The word is a straightforward descriptive coinage: English speakers combined the familiar noun "snake" with "fly", applied loosely to any winged insect, to name a creature that looked like a snake had sprouted wings. Because the compound is transparent, the name explains itself to anyone who has seen the animal, and it has changed little in meaning since it was formed.