plant-louse

A small green plant-louse crawls on a rose leaf.

Definition

Noun: - Any of various small, sap-sucking insects of the superfamily Aphidoidea, known as "plant-lice," that infest plants and often cause damage by feeding on plant juices. These insects are also commonly called aphids.

Usage Examples

• (A group of small, sap-sucking insects feeding on the plants.)
• (A single insect of this type on the leaf undersides.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be plagued by plant-louse": to suffer from an infestation of these insects.
  • The vineyard was plagued by plant-louse, reducing the grape yield significantly. (The vineyard had a serious problem with these pests.)

Variants and Related Words

• Plant-lice (n, plural): the plural form of "plant-louse."
  • The plant-lice spread quickly from one tree to another. (Multiple insects of this type.)
• Aphid (n): a more common scientific term for a plant-louse.
  • Aphids are a major concern for farmers. (Plant-lice are a major concern for farmers.)

Synonyms

• Aphid: the standard modern term for the same insect.
• Greenfly: a common name for certain green-colored aphids.
• Blackfly: a common name for certain dark-colored aphids.

Related Idioms

• "like plant-louse on a leaf": used to describe something that clings persistently or feeds off something.
  • He clung to the job like plant-louse on a leaf, never letting go. (He held on stubbornly and dependently.)