Fireflies

1 definition found

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

  Firefly \Fire"fly`\, n.; pl. {Fireflies}. (Zool.)
     Any luminous winged insect, esp. luminous beetles of the
     family {Lampyrid[ae]}.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The common American species belong to the genera


           {Photinus} (especially {Photinus pyralis}) and
           {Photuris}, in which both sexes are winged. The name is
           also applied to luminous species of {Elaterid[ae]}. See
           {Fire beetle}.
           [1913 Webster +PJC]