midge

noun

ˈmij

: a tiny dipteran fly (such as a chironomid)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web First detected in the stream after the stream mouth emerged from glacial ice were larvae of chironomids, cold-loving midges. —

Lesley Evans Ogden, Discover Magazine, 7 Apr. 2023 The mating calls of male Panama cross-banded tree frogs are synchronized to confuse bats and midges. —

Lauren Oyler, Harpers Magazine, 26 Apr. 2023 Along with biting insects like chiggers, black flies, sand fleas, gnats, midges, and mosquitoes, ticks can latch onto an unsuspecting hiker and infect them with an array of lethal diseases, such as Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). —

Nancy Jo Adams, Popular Mechanics, 22 Apr. 2023 The fabric, a lightweight polyester and wool blend, is treated with an odorless insect repellent that keeps ticks, mosquitos, and midges at bay. —

Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2023 Our quarry are macroinvertebrates—backboneless animals like midge, mayfly and stonefly that are visible to the naked eye. —

Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2023 That’s hard on insects like the pesky midge. —

Seth Borenstein, ajc, 20 Apr. 2022 This suction cup, laser-scanned with a high-resolution microscope, belongs to a larva of a net-winged midge. —

Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 1 June 2020 The midge issue is hardly unique to the waters surrounding the Back River plant, which is operated by the Baltimore City government and located in Baltimore County. —

Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'midge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English migge, from Old English mycg; akin to Old High German mucka midge, Greek myia fly, Latin musca

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of midge was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Midge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midge. Accessed 29 May. 2023.

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Kids Definition

midge

noun

ˈmij

: a very small fly : gnat

Medical Definition

midge

noun

ˈmij

: any of numerous tiny dipteran flies (especially families Ceratopogonidae, Cecidomyiidae, and Chironomidae) many of which are capable of giving painful bites and some of which are vectors or intermediate hosts of parasites of humans and various other vertebrates see biting midge