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# eyespot

noun (an eyespot, eyespots)

«eyespot» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An eyespot is a round patch of colour that looks like an eye, on the wings of a butterfly or moth, or on the body of a fish, to scare or fool predators. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#m1)
2. (science) An eyespot is a tiny light-sensitive spot on very simple living things, such as Euglena, that helps them find light. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons it explains camouflage and defence: birds may attack the false eye instead of the head, or be frightened by big eyespots. In microscopy, pupils see the red eyespot of single-celled Euglena. Phrases: «false eyespots», «eyespot on the wing».

### Examples

- The peacock butterfly has four big eyespots. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#x1)
- Birds may peck the eyespot instead of the butterfly's head. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#x2)
- Some fish have an eyespot near their tail. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#x3)
- Under the microscope we saw the red eyespot of a Euglena. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#x4)
- The moth opened its wings and flashed its eyespots. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#x5)
- Eyespots make small creatures look bigger and scarier. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/#x6)

### Note

Countable: an eyespot, eyespots. One word. Also called «eye spot» or «ocellus» (plural ocelli) by scientists. An eyespot on a wing cannot see; it is only a pattern.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «eyespot» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/eyespot/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«eyespot» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/eyespot.html) on Mova free.