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
Recent Examples on the Web
As of mid-May 2026, the state had detected two positive mosquito samples and four dead birds that tested positive for the virus, though no human infections had been reported there.
—
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 24 May 2026
When the mosquitoes start buzzing and biting, getting rid of them is a high priority.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 23 May 2026
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, a compound found to disrupt the nervous system of insects, and works as a chemical-free pesticide to deter ants, fungus gnats, mites, aphids, mosquitoes, fruit flies, flies, and wasps.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 23 May 2026
As warmer weather brings more time outdoors, the Kane County Health Department is reminding residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes and ticks, which can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mosquito
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Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 24 May 2026
When the mosquitoes start buzzing and biting, getting rid of them is a high priority.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 23 May 2026
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, a compound found to disrupt the nervous system of insects, and works as a chemical-free pesticide to deter ants, fungus gnats, mites, aphids, mosquitoes, fruit flies, flies, and wasps.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 23 May 2026
As warmer weather brings more time outdoors, the Kane County Health Department is reminding residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes and ticks, which can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 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 30 May. 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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