(n) large family of bark-boring or wood-boring short-beaked beetles; very destructive to forest and fruit trees, Syn. Ipidae, family Scolytidae, family Ipidae
n. [ Gr. skoly`ptein to cut short. ] (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small bark-boring beetles of the genus Scolytus and allied genera. Also used adjectively. [ 1913 Webster ]