ALL meanings of cochineal insect
coch·i·neal in·sect
C c - noun cochineal insect a Mexican homopterous insect, Dactylopius coccus, that feeds on cacti 3
- noun cochineal insect any of a family (Dactylopiidae) of scale insects, esp. one (Dactylopius coccus) that has a brilliant-red body fluid, feeds on certain cactuses, is found chiefly in Mexico, and was formerly much used as a source of cochineal 3
- noun cochineal insect any of various small red scale insects of the family Dactylopiidae, related to the mealybugs and characterized by an oval segmented body with white waxy plates and short legs and antennae: the source of cochineal. 1