Mid 16th century (in an earlier sense). From classical Latin pyrallid-, pyrallis winged insect supposed to live in fire, unknown bird (perhaps a kind of pigeon) (Pliny), in post-classical Latin also pyralis, later adopted into scientific Latin as genus name Pyralis (Linnaeus Systema naturae (ed. 10, 1758) I. 533) from ancient Greek πυραλίς, πυραλλίς unknown bird (perhaps a kind of pigeon) from πῦρ fire + -αλλίς, suffix forming nouns.