metagnathous

adjective

me·​tag·​na·​thous

mə̇ˈtagnəthəs

1

of a bird : having the tips of the mandibles crossed

2

of an insect : having biting mandibles in the larval stage and sucking mouth parts when adult

—contrasted with menognathous

Word History

Etymology

meta- + -gnathous

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!