Did you know?
Members of a family of insects, cicadas have a stout body, wide blunt head, two pairs of transparent wings, prominent compound eyes, and three simple eyes. Most of the 1,500 known species are found in tropical deserts, grasslands, and forests. Males produce loud noises by vibrating membranes near the base of the abdomen. Most North American cicadas produce rhythmical ticks, buzzes, or whines, though the "song" of some species is musical. Periodical cicadas, including the well-known 17-year cicada (often erroneously called the 17-year locust) and 13-year cicada appear in regular cycles. Their larvae burrow into the ground, where they remain for 13 or 17 years, feeding on juices sucked from roots. They then emerge in large numbers to live aboveground as adults for only a few weeks.
Examples of cicada in a Sentence
Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 4 Aug. 2025
No club has gone back-to-back since Warner Robins American Little League’s two-year run from 2009-2010, but Greenville will chase history as loudly as the cicadas.
—Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
The cicada invasion is underway in Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Kritsky said cicadas have been reported to lead to oak leaf itch mite, but that’s mainly when people spend time under oak trees six to 10 weeks after the cicadas have laid their eggs.
—Katie Wiseman, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cicada
Cite this Entry
“Cicada.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cicada. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share