Scolytid
/ˈskɒlɪtɪd/noun
A beetle belonging to the family Scolytidae, most of whose species bore into or beneath tree bark.
Did you know?The name comes from an Ancient Greek term for a wood-boring insect and preserves the vivid image of beetles stripping or piercing tree bark.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σκώλυπτης (skṓlyptēs)
“A wood-boring insect; literally, an agent associated with stripping or peeling.”
19th Century
New Latin
Scolytus
“A taxonomic genus name formed from the Greek insect term.”
19th Century
New Latin
Scolytidae
“The scientific family name for bark and ambrosia beetles.”
19th Century
English
scolytid
“A beetle of the family Scolytidae, especially one that tunnels in wood or beneath bark.”