spittlebug

noun

spit·​tle·​bug ˈspi-tᵊl-ˌbəg How to pronounce spittlebug (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Winters have been cold enough to weaken the trees, but not cold enough to kill the spittlebug populations. The Economist, 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, 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, 14 Nov. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spittlebug was in 1882

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Cite this Entry

“Spittlebug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spittlebug. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

spittlebug

noun
spit·​tle·​bug -ˌbəg How to pronounce spittlebug (audio)
: any of numerous leaping insects that produce and cover themselves with foam in the young stages

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