Elytron

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Elytron \El"y*tron\ (?; 277), Elytrum \El"y*trum\ (-tr?m)n.; pl.
     {Elytra}. [NL., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to roll round.] (Zo["o]l.)
     (a) One of the anterior pair of wings in the Coleoptera and
         some other insects, when they are thick and serve only as
         a protection for the posterior pair. See {Coleoptera}.
     (b) One of the shieldlike dorsal scales of certain annelids.


         See {Ch[ae]topoda}.
         [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  elytron
       n : either of the horny front wings in beetles and some other
           insects which cover and protect the functional hind wings
           [syn: {wing case}]
       [also: {elytra} (pl)]