cockroach
noun
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Definition of cockroach
: any of an order or suborder (Blattodea synonym Blattaria) of chiefly nocturnal insects including some that are domestic pests — compare German cockroach
Examples of cockroach in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some species are able to fully control their hosts from the inside, forcing cockroaches or spiders to create environments best for their offspring. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Fossils Show Ancient Horrifying Xenomorph-Style Insects," 29 Aug. 2018 The complaint filed by Bertonatti to a special unit of prosecutors that deals with environmental matters includes video showing rats and cockroaches in the enclosures of some of the park's animals. — Luis Andres Henao, Fox News, "Giraffe, rhino deaths raise alarm at former Buenos Aires zoo," 22 Aug. 2018 Bloomberg reports the dinner also served appetizers featuring tarantula and cockroach. — Brett Molina, USA TODAY, "Jeff Bezos has eaten iguana, loves his momma, and other things we learned about the Amazon founder," 12 Mar. 2018 Some of the boldest reporters here, battling with the cockroaches that have taken advantage of the upheaval to wander more freely, have proudly chronicled their confrontations on social media. — Rick Kogan, chicagotribune.com, "Farewell to Tribune Tower: Friday we pack our boxes and depart what has been this newspaper's home," 8 June 2018 Beyond the cockroach, other seemingly uninviting spectacles include a 5-foot-long bloodsucking bedbug, a very hairy bumblebee, and deadly red scorpions. — Grace Dickinson, Philly.com, "17 gigantic bugs have crawled into the Academy of Natural Sciences for 'Xtreme Bugs' exhibit," 22 May 2018 Of all the insect infestations you can be cursed with, silverfish might just be the most skin-crawling — right after cockroaches, of course. — Rebecca Straus, Good Housekeeping, "5 Ways to Get Rid of Silverfish," 25 July 2018 Defense attorney Jim Pratt, who represents Stein, asked them whether there was anyone who's not offended by defining another human being as a cockroach or defining a group of people as an infestation. — Fox News, "The Latest: Jury selection starts in Kansas bomb plot case," 20 Mar. 2018 Use a shoe to kill it, and throw the cockroach in the trash. — Heloise, Houston Chronicle, "Tired of giving?," 17 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cockroach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
'Muskrat,' 'Helpmate,' and 6 More Folk...
'Muskrat,' 'Helpmate,' and 6 More Folk Etymologies
When logic meets language
Dictionary Entries near cockroach
Statistics for cockroach
Last Updated
10 Dec 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for cockroach
The first known use of cockroach was in 1623
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More Definitions for cockroach
cockroach
noun
English Language Learners Definition of cockroach
: a black or brown insect that is sometimes found in people's homes
See the full definition for cockroach in the English Language Learners Dictionary
cockroach
noun
\
Kids Definition of cockroach
: a black or brown insect that is active chiefly at night and can be a troublesome pest in homes
cockroach
noun
\
Medical Definition of cockroach
: any of an order or suborder (Blattodea synonym Blattaria) of chiefly nocturnal insects including some that are domestic pests — see blatta, blattella, periplaneta
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