Dragonflies are brightly-coloured insects with long, thin bodies and two sets of wings. Dragonflies are often found near slow-moving water. dragonflies a brightly-coloured insect with a long thin body and transparent wings which lives near water. Any member of the insect suborder Anisoptera (order Odonata), characterized by four large, membranous, many-veined wings, that, when at rest, are held horizontally rather than vertically (see damselfly). Dragonflies are agile and have bulging eyes that often occupy most of the head and a wingspan of about 6 in. (16 cm). The dragonfly is one of the fastest-flying and most predaceous insects; in 30 minutes it can eat its own weight in food. Dragonflies differ from most other insects by having the male copulatory organs at the front part of the abdomen rather than at the back end. Male and female often fly in tandem during sperm transfer
[ 'dra-g&n ] (noun.) 13th century. Middle English, from Old French, from Latin dracon-, draco serpent, dragon, from Greek drakOn serpent; akin to Old English torht bright, Greek derkesthai to see, look at.