‖rusper, noun
- Forms:
- Also risper, ruspe.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, adaptation of Dutch rups caterpillar.
Any of several caterpillars which are destructive to crops, especially the American bollworm, Heliothis armigera, and the Karoo caterpillar (see Karoo sense 3), Loxostege frustralis.
[1786 G. Forster tr. of A. Sparrman’s Voy. to Cape of G.H. II. 174A worm with legs and feet, which was grey at top, but yellow under the belly, like rups, or caterpillars.]
1980 A.J. Blignaut Dead End Rd 95I reckoned he should talk less about ruspes and more of my share of what they left behind to go into the bottle.
Any of several caterpillars which are destructive to crops, especially the American bollworm, Heliothis armigera, and the Karoo caterpillar (see Karoo sense 3), Loxostege frustralis.
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