katydid

noun

ka·​ty·​did ˈkā-tē-ˌdid 

: any of various large green American long-horned grasshoppers usually having stridulating organs on the forewings of the males that produce a loud shrill sound

Illustration of katydid

Did you know?

Some animal names have been created through imitation of the sounds the animals make. The name katydid is an example of this process. These insects were given this name because the noise they make was thought to sound like “Katy-did, Katy-didn't” repeated over and over.

Examples of katydid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t rule out those nocturnal singers, the katydids, and their brothers, the katydid-nots. — Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025

Then the screech of a spiny lobster katydid, or giant lobster cricket, ricochets among the trees. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2023

Each cell is stocked with paralyzed tree crickets, katydids and other orthoptera insects. — Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026

Forty-seven grasshopper, katydid, and cricket taxa were also uncovered, three of which were new to science. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1784, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for katydid

• amid
• eyelid
• forbid
• majid
• masjid
• outbid
• outdid
• plasmid
• turbid
• undid
• bid
• did

Kids Definition

katydid

noun

ka·​ty·​did ˈkāt-ē-ˌdid 

: any of various large green American grasshoppers with very long antennae and males that make a high-pitched noise using sound-producing organs on the forewings

Etymology

imitation

Word Origin

Some animal names have been created through imitation of the sounds the animals make. The name katydid is an example of this process. These insects were given this name because the noise they make was thought of as sounding like "Katy-did, Katy-didn't" repeated over and over.