1. a click beetle, especially one that can flip itself over when lying on its back by means of a spring-like mechanism
Usage: zoology
2. a spring-like appendage or structure that enables movement or propulsion
Usage: biology; technical
3. in liverworts and hornworts, a specialized cell or structure that aids in spore dispersal
Usage: botany; technical

Examples

• The elater jumped several inches into the air when it flipped itself over.
• Elaters are common garden insects found in soil and leaf litter.
• The click beetle's elater mechanism is a remarkable example of natural engineering.
• Liverwort spores are dispersed by the contraction of elaters when moisture levels change.
• Scientists study elaters to understand how insects use mechanical structures for movement.