Moth \Moth\, n.; pl. Moths (m[o^]thz). [OE. mothe, AS.
mo[eth][eth]e; akin to D. mot, G. motte, Icel. motti, and
prob. to E. mad an earthworm. Cf. Mad, n., Mawk.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not
included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io
moth; hawk moth.
2. (Zo["o]l.) Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon
garments, grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth;
bee moth. See these terms under Clothes, Grain, etc.
3. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of various other insects that destroy
woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larv[ae] of several
species of beetles of the genera Dermestes and
Anthrenus. Carpet moths are often the larv[ae] of
Anthrenus. See Carpet beetle, under Carpet,
Dermestes, Anthrenus.
4. Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or
wastes any other thing.
Moth blight (Zo["o]l.), any plant louse of the genus
Aleurodes, and related genera. They are injurious to
various plants.
Moth gnat (Zo["o]l.), a dipterous insect of the genus
Bychoda, having fringed wings.
Moth hunter (Zo["o]l.), the goatsucker.
Moth miller (Zo["o]l.), a clothes moth. See Miller, 3,
(a) .
Moth mullein (Bot.), a common herb of the genus Verbascum
(V. Blattaria), having large wheel-shaped yellow or
whitish flowers.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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