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

Illustration of mosquito

Examples of mosquito in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sprinkle Mosquito Bits granules into the water that collects in the center of the leafy rosette to prevent Aedes mosquitoes from breeding there. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026

Conditions in the park can change quickly, and rain, strong winds, cold temperatures, and pests like mosquitoes are not uncommon. —Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2026

This portable Thermacell repeller provides up to 15 feet of protection against mosquitoes, with a 12-hour refill for long-lasting coverage. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026

An unused water feature can breed mosquitos or fill with algae and debris. —Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mosquito

• anti-mosquito
• Asian tiger mosquito
• mosquito fish
• mosquito hawk
• mosquito net
• tiger mosquito
• yellow-fever mosquito

Rhymes for mosquito

• bonito
• burrito
• capito
• negrito
• incognito
• peto
• veto

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