spittlebug

spit·tle·bug | \ ˈspi-tᵊl-ˌbəg

How to pronounce spittlebug (audio)

\

Definition of spittlebug

: any of a family (Cercopidae) of leaping homopterous insects whose nymphal larvae produce a frothy secretion

— called also froghopper

Examples of spittlebug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Winters have been cold enough to weaken the trees, but not cold enough to kill the spittlebug populations. — The Economist, "The threat to the southern European olive," 21 Sep. 2019 Its spread prompted the EU to require Italy to create a buffer zone—with susceptible trees destroyed and spittlebug-friendly grasses cut—but implementation has been slow. — The Economist, "The threat to the southern European olive," 21 Sep. 2019 For the next 15 years, Baumann, Moran, and their colleagues used similar DNA analyses to document equally long-term relationships between bacteria and white flies, spittlebugs, cicadas, leafhoppers, and psyllids. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "A love of insects and their microbial partners helped this biologist reveal secrets of symbiosis," 14 Nov. 2019

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about spittlebug

Dictionary Entries near spittlebug

Statistics for spittlebug

Cite this Entry

“Spittlebug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spittlebug. Accessed 15 Jul. 2020.

WORD OF THE DAY

indite

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Words for Summer: A Quiz

Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Dictionary Devil

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.