[hahy-muh-nop-ter-uh
s] 
| belonging or pertaining to the Hymenoptera, an order of insects having, when winged, four membranous wings, and comprising the wasps, bees, ants, ichneumon flies, and sawflies. |
| hy·me·nop·ter·an (hī'mə-nŏp'tər-ən) adj. Of or belonging to the order Hymenoptera. n. also hy·me·nop·ter·on (-tə-rŏn') Any insects of the order Hymenoptera, including the bees, wasps, and ants, often living in complex social groups and characteristically having two pairs of membranous wings. [From New Latin Hymenoptera, order name, from Greek humenopteros, membrane-winged : humēn, membrane; see hymen + pteron, wing; see -pter.] hy'me·nop'ter·ous (-tər-əs) adj. |