Illustration of mosquito
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
Examples of mosquito in a Sentence
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Still others believe the treatment facility will create nuisance odors or affect air quality, or that treated effluent discharged into the dry creek that feeds into Village Creek will stagnate, attracting mosquitoes.
—
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2026
If a species is infected more often, that suggests mosquitoes are biting them more frequently.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Early spring prep is vital as warm, wet conditions fuel grubs, mosquitoes, and termites.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
The scale of the war effort had necessitated the creation of a health infrastructure on American soil—spraying for mosquitoes near the front lines in the Pacific wouldn’t mean anything if soldiers caught malaria at home before deployment.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
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Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Feb. 2026
If a species is infected more often, that suggests mosquitoes are biting them more frequently.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Early spring prep is vital as warm, wet conditions fuel grubs, mosquitoes, and termites.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
The scale of the war effort had necessitated the creation of a health infrastructure on American soil—spraying for mosquitoes near the front lines in the Pacific wouldn’t mean anything if soldiers caught malaria at home before deployment.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mosquito
Cite this Entry
“Mosquito.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mosquito. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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