mosquito

noun

mos·qui·to mə-ˈskē-(ˌ)tō

plural mosquitoes also mosquitos

: any of a family (Culicidae) of dipteran flies with females that have a set of slender organs in the proboscis adapted to puncture the skin of animals and to suck their blood and that are in some cases vectors of serious diseases

mosquitoey

mə-ˈskē-tə-wē

adjective

Examples of mosquito in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Given that insects such as mosquitoes use the smell of ammonia in human sweat to hone in on their human victims, researchers hope to find ways to block molecules known as ammonia transporters, which allow the scent of ammonia in and out of our cells. —

Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 20 Oct. 2023 The virus spreads after a mosquito bites an infected bird and then bites a human. —

Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 9 Oct. 2023 Some mosquito traps, like options from DynaTrap, emit carbon dioxide to mimic human breath and lure mosquitoes to the trap. —

Kate Oczypok, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2023 That saved us from paying someone to come out each month to spray for flies, ants, spiders, mosquitoes and crickets. —

Irv Erdos, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Oct. 2023 The mosquitoes that spread it breed in natural habitats, in the pools left by shifting streams and heavy rains. —

Stephanie Nolen Tiksa Negeri, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023 Most bats are insectivores that eat mosquitoes and other agricultural pests, or act as pollinators and seed spreaders. —

Emily Mullin, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2023 The West Nile virus, which is not transmissible among people, mainly spreads to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. —

Ovetta Wiggins, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023 According to Markowski, mosquito traps with carbon dioxide attractants are the most effective, as carbon dioxide is the primary cue that attracts mosquitoes. —

Kate Oczypok, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mosquito.' 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

Spanish, diminutive of mosca fly, from Latin musca — more at midge

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of mosquito was in 1572

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mosquito.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mosquito. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

mosquito

noun

mos·qui·to mə-ˈskēt-ō

plural mosquitoes also mosquitos

: any of numerous two-winged flies of which the females have a needlelike structure of the mouth region adapted to puncture the skin and suck the blood of animals

mosquitoey

-ˈskēt-ə-wē

adjective

Etymology

from Spanish mosquito "mosquito," literally "little fly," from mosca "fly"

Medical Definition

mosquito

noun

mos·qui·to mə-ˈskēt-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w)

plural mosquitoes also mosquitos

: any of numerous dipteran flies of the family Culicidae that have a rather narrow abdomen, usually a long slender rigid proboscis, and narrow wings with a fringe of scales on the margin and usually on each side of the wing veins, that have in the male broad feathery antennae and mouthparts not fitted for piercing and in the female slender antennae and a set of needlelike organs in the proboscis with which they puncture the skin of animals to suck the blood, that lay their eggs on the surface of stagnant water, that include many species which pass through several generations in the course of a year and hibernate as adults or winter in the egg state, and that include some species which are the only vectors of certain diseases see aedes, anopheles, culex