Definition

A type of mosquito that can spread malaria to people.

Example

The anopheles mosquito is known for transmitting malaria.

Conversation

I read that the anopheles mosquito is a major carrier of malaria.

Really? I had no idea they were that dangerous.

Yeah, we need to be careful when traveling to areas where they are common.

Definitely! It's important to take precautions against them.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Anopheles is derived from the Greek "an-" (meaning not) and "opheles" (meaning help or benefit). The term refers to a genus of mosquitoes that are known for not being beneficial, as they are vectors for malaria.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('an-') being helpful ('opheles') to remember that anopheles refers to mosquitoes that are harmful rather than helpful.

Visually Confused Words