Late 19th century; earliest use found in John Sterling Kingsley (1854–1929). From scientific Latin Reduvius, genus name (J. C. Fabricius Systema Entomologiae 729; from post-classical Latin reduvia remnant, fragment, transferred use of classical Latin reduvia hangnail, usually in plural, reduviae from red-, variant (before a vowel) of re- + -uviae (in exuviae)) + -id, after scientific Latin Reduviidae, family name; the genus name alludes to the habit of the nymph of Reduvius personatus of camouflaging itself with small pieces of debris.