moth

noun \ ˈmȯth \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Definition of moth

plural moths play \ˈmȯt͟hz, ˈmȯths\

1 : clothes moth

2 : any of various usually nocturnal lepidopteran insects with antennae that are often feathery, with a stouter body, duller coloring, and proportionately smaller wings than the butterflies, and with larvae that are plant-eating caterpillars

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mothlike

play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

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mothy

play \ˈmȯ-thē\ adjective

See moth defined for English-language learners

See moth defined for kids

Recent Examples of moth from the Web

National Moth Week offers everyone, everywhere a unique opportunity to become a Citizen Scientist and contribute scientific data about moths.

— community report, Houston Chronicle, "Moth Night Out at Trinity River Refuge, July 21," 24 June 2018
This is when citrus leaf miner moths lay their eggs that hatch into larvae to tunnel within the leaves.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Caterpillar invasion isn't end for healthy tree," 14 July 2018
Shorten the tail, and the African moon moths escaped only 45% of the time.

— elizabeth pennisi, Science | AAAS, "Watch how battles with bats give moths their flashy tails," 4 July 2018
Drain flies, those fuzzy little moth-like creatures with oversize wings, were a problem in other eateries.

— mari a. schaefer, Philly.com, "Large roaches, moldy turkey close down Philly eateries | Clean Plates," 2 July 2018
Nearby, Victoria Butterfly Gardens complements Butchart’s vivid flora with a glimpse into the life of winged creatures, from colorful butterflies and moths to even more vibrant macaws and parrots.

— alex pulaski, latimes.com, "Seeking a short cruise that's a bargain to boot? Check out repositioning trips, available as lines shift their ships to other ports," 20 June 2018
Lawn moths arrived early; control sod webworms when chewing damage is noted. 20.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "July in the garden," 30 June 2018
To test their theory, researchers captured bogong moths during their migration.

— laura yan, Popular Mechanics, "Moths Can Use the Earth’s Magnetic Field to Navigate," 23 June 2018
Fox’s cameras also captured some scary looking moths.

— dan gartland, SI.com, "England-Tunisia World Cup Game Overrun by Swarms of Insects," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'moth.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of moth

Middle English mothe, from Old English moththe; akin to Middle High German motte moth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Insect Terms

drone, entomology, gadfly, pismire, proboscis, vespine

MOTH Defined for English Language Learners

moth

noun

Definition of moth for English Language Learners

: a kind of insect that is similar to a butterfly but that flies mostly at night and is usually less colorful

MOTH Defined for Kids

moth

noun \ ˈmȯth \

Definition of moth for Students

plural moths \ˈmȯt͟hz, ˈmȯths\

: an insect that usually flies at night and has mostly feathery antennae and stouter body, duller coloring, and smaller wings than the related butterflies