Meanings
plural noctuids
- Any moth in the species-rich family Noctuidae or the superfamily Noctuoidea.
Mr. H. McKnight, who resides at Goldstream, took a number of noctuids in September, feeding on hops.
1916, British Columbia Provincial Museum, Report of the Provincial Museum of Natural History, page 4622 more examples
The total wing area of these moths were essentially the same (geometrids = 3.8 cm²; noctuids = 3.6. cm²). Consequently, wing-loading of the noctuids was about twice as high as in the geometrids.
1981, T. M. Casey, “Insect Flight Energetics”, in Clyde F. Herreid II, Charles R. Fourtner, editors, Locomotion and Energetics in Arthropods, page 432Noctuids are renowned for their propensity for carnivory in general, and for cannibalism in particular (Gould et al. 1980).
1993, Thomas C.R. White, The Inadequate Environment: Nitrogen and the Abundance of Animals, page 76Synonyms: owlet moth
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny moth in the species-rich family Noctuidae or the superfamily Noctuoidea.
More synonyms by meaning
nounusually dull-colored medium-sized nocturnal moth; the usually smooth-bodied larvae are destructive agricultural pests
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*nokʷt-ew
- Proto-Italic*noktowe
- Latinnoctū
- Latin*noctūus
- Latinnoctua
- Englishnoctuid
Borrowed from Translingual Noctuidae.
More words from translingual
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
noctuid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/noctuid
“noctuid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/noctuid. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “noctuid,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/noctuid.
Source: noctuid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.