: any of a suborder (Anisoptera) of odonate insects that are larger and stouter than damselflies, hold the wings horizontal in repose, and have rectal gills during the naiad stage
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It's painted like the Magic School Bus with beetles on the door and a dragonfly along the tail.—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025 In the animal kingdom, mammals play dead so that a predator will lose interest in them; some female dragonflies do it to avoid mating.—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025 And like, watchin' a dragonfly.—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025 The chandelier depicts two dragonflies drinking from a bowl, and matching sconces feature individual dragonflies.—Lennie Omalza, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dragonfly
: any of a group of large harmless insects that have four long wings held horizontal and sticking out instead of folded to the side next to the body when at rest and that feed especially on flies, gnats, and mosquitoes compare damselfly
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