heterometabolic

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The word "heterometabolic" is an adjective used mainly in biology, especially when talking about certain types of insects.

Simple Explanation:

• Heterometabolic describes insects that grow and change through a process called incomplete metamorphosis. This means that when these insects hatch from eggs, they look like smaller versions of the adult insects. They do not go through a pupal stage, which is a stage where many insects, like butterflies, change completely into adults.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "heterometabolic" when discussing insect life cycles, especially when comparing different types of metamorphosis.
• It is a technical term, so it is more common in scientific discussions than in everyday conversation.

Example Sentence:

• "Grasshoppers are heterometabolic insects because they develop from nymphs that look like small adults, rather than going through a larval or pupal stage."

Advanced Usage:

• In scientific research, you might say, "The study focused on the heterometabolic characteristics of various insect species to understand their adaptive strategies in different environments."

Word Variants:

• The word does not have common variants, but you might encounter related terms like "metamorphosis", which talks about the process of change in insects, or "holometabolic," which refers to insects that do undergo complete metamorphosis (with a pupal stage).

Different Meanings:

• "Heterometabolic" is mostly specific to biology and does not have different meanings outside this context.

Synonyms:

• There are no direct synonyms for "heterometabolic," but related terms in the context of insect development include:
  • Nymphal (referring to nymph stages)
  • Incomplete metamorphosis (the process itself)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no idioms or phrasal verbs that specifically relate to "heterometabolic," as it is a specialized scientific term.

Summary:

In summary, "heterometabolic" is a technical term for insects that develop without a pupal stage, looking like smaller versions of adults when they hatch.

Academic

Adjective

1. (of an insect) undergoing incomplete metamorphosis in which the nymph is essentially like the adult and there is no pupal stage

Synonyms

• heterometabolous