damselfly

D2A1M3S1E1L1F4L1Y4
UK/ˈdæmzəlflaɪ/

noun

Any of various insects of the suborder Zygoptera that have long slender bodies, and are similar to dragonflies but having wings folded when at rest.

Similar
darning needledevil's darning needle
OriginEnglish fly ← Middle English flye ← Old English flēoge →
UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

noundamselfly (plural damselflies)

plural damselflies

  1. Any of various insects of the suborder Zygoptera that have long slender bodies, and are similar to dragonflies but having wings folded when at rest.

    Synonyms: darning needle, devil's darning needle

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of various insects of the suborder Zygoptera that have long slender bodies, and are similar to dragonflies but having wings folded when at rest.

Similar
darning needledevil's darning needle

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dem-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dṓmder.?
  3. Proto-Italic*domVnos
  4. Latindominus
  5. Latindominicus
  6. Vulgar Latin*dominicella
  7. Vulgar Latin*domnicella
  8. Old Frenchdomnizelle
  9. Old Frenchdamoisele
  10. Middle Englishdameisele
  11. Englishdamsel
  12. Proto-Indo-European*plew-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*plewk-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*pléwketi
  15. Proto-Germanic*fleuganądeverb.
  16. Proto-Germanic*fleugǭ
  17. Proto-West Germanic*fleugā
  18. Old Englishflēoge
  19. Middle Englishflye
  20. Englishfly
  21. Englishdamselfly

From damsel + fly, where damsel ultimately from Vulgar Latin *domnicella (whence also French demoiselle, Portuguese donzelinha). Compare Danish vandnymfe, Dutch juffer, Swedish jungfruslända, Welsh mursen. Also compare ladybird, ladybug, nymph.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Basque sorgin-orratz
  • sorgin-orratzinsect
Catalan cavallet del diable, damisel·la
  • cavallet del diableinsect
  • damisel·lainsect
  • parotetinsect
Chinese Mandarin 豆娘
  • 豆娘 (dòuniáng)insect
Danish vandnymfe
  • vandnymfeinsect
Dutch juffer
  • jufferinsect
Esperanto zigoptero
  • zigopteroinsect
Finnish hentosudenkorento
  • hentosudenkorentoinsect
French demoiselle
  • demoiselleinsect
German Kleinlibelle, Wasserjungfer
  • Kleinlibelleinsect
  • Wasserjungferinsect
  • Seejungferinsect
  • Schlankjungferinsect
Hebrew שַׁפְרִירִית
  • שַׁפְרִירִית (shafrirít)insect
Japanese 豆娘, 糸蜻蛉
  • 豆娘 (itotonbo)insect
  • 糸蜻蛉 (itotonbo)insect
Māori tīemiemi, kihitara
  • tīemiemiinsect
  • kihitarainsect
  • kēkēwaiinsect
Norwegian Bokmål vannymfe
  • vannymfeinsect
Polish łątka
  • łątkainsect
Portuguese donzelinha, libelinha
  • donzelinhainsect
  • libelinhainsect
Russian стрекоза́
  • стрекоза́ (strekozá)insect
Spanish caballito del diablo
  • caballito del diabloinsect
Swedish jungfruslända, flickslända
  • jungfrusländainsect
  • flicksländainsect
Tagalog tutubing karayom
  • tutubing karayominsect
Welsh mursen
  • murseninsect
Cite this entry
APA

damselfly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damselfly

MLA

“damselfly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damselfly. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “damselfly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damselfly.

Source: damselfly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.