firefly

name

1. A locality in the MidCoast council area, eastern New South Wales, Australia.

noun

Etymology: Endocentric compound of fire + fly, because the insects glow; whence also lightning bug. Compare glow fly, glowworm, and lanternfly. Compare typologically Ancient Greek λαμπυρίς (lampurís, “glowworm”) (<+ πῦρ (pûr)).

1. Any beetle of the family Lampyridae, which exhibit bioluminescence during twilight.

   “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.”

   “The luciferins are different in different species and today both the luciferin and luciferase in the firefly are available in the crystalline form.”