scarab

noun

scar·​ab ˈsker-əb 

ˈska-rəb

1

: any of a family (Scarabaeidae) of stout-bodied beetles (such as a dung beetle) with lamellate or fan-shaped antennae

2

: a stone or faience beetle used in ancient Egypt as a talisman, ornament, and a symbol of resurrection

Examples of scarab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, is a scarab beetle about 3/8-inch long. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 30 May 2026

Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride is an indoor coaster based on The Mummy film franchise, launching riders through a tomb past treasures, warrior mummies, and those pesky scarab beetles. —Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026

This fascination extended to bold, symbolic jewelry such as scarabs. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Mar. 2026

One of her favorite specimens was the rain beetle, a fuzzy scarab-like insect that can't feed as an adult, relying solely on fat stores from its larval stages. —Christine Mai-Duc, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French scarabee, from Latin scarabaeus

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for scarab

• arab

Kids Definition

scarab

noun

scar·​ab ˈskar-əb 

1

: any of a family of large stout beetles (as a dung beetle)

2

: an ornament or a gem made to represent a scarab

especially : one used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of eternal life