Coccinellid
/ˌkɒk.sɪˈnɛl.ɪd/noun
Any beetle belonging to the family Coccinellidae, which includes ladybirds or ladybugs.
Did you know?The name ultimately connects ladybirds with the red dye produced by scale insects, because Ancient Greek kókkos referred both to a berry-like seed and a dye-making insect.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kewk-
“A rounded object, lump, or seed; the reconstructed root behind later words for berries and granules.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κόκκος (kókkos)
“A seed, berry, or grain; also a scale insect used to produce red dye.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
κόκκινος (kókkinos)
“Scarlet or crimson, literally associated with kókkos and its red dye.”
Classical Latin
Latin
coccinus
“Scarlet-colored or crimson.”
18th Century
Neo-Latin
Coccinella
“The genus name for ladybirds, formed from Latin coccinus with a diminutive ending: “little scarlet one.””
19th Century
English
coccinellid
“A beetle of the family Coccinellidae, named from the genus Coccinella.”