Firefly
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈfaɪ.əˌflaɪ/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Firefly is a noun meaning (Northern US, Western US, Florida) Any beetle of the family Lampyridae, which exhibit bioluminescence during twilight.
Meaning
(Northern US, Western US, Florida) Any beetle of the family Lampyridae, which exhibit bioluminescence during twilight.
Example Sentences
The luciferins are different in different species and today both the luciferin and luciferase in the firefly are available in the crystalline form.
Various other luciferase genes, especially the firefly luciferase gene, are also used for the study of gene regulation.[…]The classic use of bioluminescence, however, is the use of a luciferin-luciferase mixture from fireflies as an assay for ATP.
2000, Exploring Life Science, 2: Bats—Cave Life, Marshall Cavendish, page 96, Fireflies are the best-known insects that produce light. […] Many fireflies use their light to communicate, particularly at mating time when males and females have to get together.
Word Forms
- fireflies
- fire-fly
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include luciferin, luciferase, bioluminescence, fire-fly, lampyrid, lampyrine.
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
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