locust

noun

lo·​cust ˈlō-kəst 

1

: short-horned grasshopper

especially : a migratory grasshopper often traveling in vast swarms and stripping the areas passed of all vegetation

2

: cicada

3

a

: any of various leguminous trees: such as

(1)

: carob sense 1

(2)

: black locust

(3)

: honey locust

b

: the wood of a locust tree

Examples of locust in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The country endured overlapping crises, including the outbreaks of COVID-19 and other diseases; a devastating civil war in Tigray, in which hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed; and natural disasters, including a drought, floods, and billions of locusts. —Mark Suzman, Foreign Affairs, 11 July 2024

The last living Rocky Mountain locust was seen on the Canadian prairie in 1902. —Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 31 May 2024

Factors such as insufficient plow animals, plagues, locusts, drought, usurious interest rates — all totally unrelated to Zionist policies — helped create a landless Arab population. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2024

Just in the past year, swarms of locusts the size of whole cities descended on Ethiopia, powerful bush fires ravaged Australia, and massive floods inundated Indonesia. —Kathy Baughman McLeod, Foreign Affairs, 13 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French locuste, from Latin locusta

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing locust

• black locust
• desert locust
• honey locust
• locust bean
• seventeen-year locust

Kids Definition

locust

noun

lo·​cust ˈlō-kəst 

1

a

: short-horned grasshopper

especially : a grasshopper that often migrates in vast swarms and eats up the plants in its course

b

: cicada

2

a

: any of various trees of the legume family with hard wood

b

: the wood of a locust