water strider
noun
: any of various long-legged bugs (family Gerridae) that move about on the surface of the water
Examples of water strider in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The team was even able to create a robotic water strider capable of pushing itself along the water’s surface.
—
Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 16 June 2017
Both the mini-bug and water strider robots’ actuators are each composed of two shape memory alloy, 1/1000th inch-wide wires.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Jan. 2024
Going forward, however, the team intends to mimic other bug species while also creating a new water strider iteration capable of switching between moving atop water, and underneath its surface.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Jan. 2024
Part of this limitation is owed to the micro-robots’ designs—the water strider bot can flap its limbs to propel itself atop water, but its natural inspiration actually uses its legs to row to move much faster.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Jan. 2024
To be honest, the female water strider has an easy time of it.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2010
The water strider lays its eggs deeper in water to keep them out of reach of wasps, but the greater pressure is more likely to buckle the eggs.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 14 Sep. 2011
On Earth only a few legged species, such as water strider insects, some aquatic birds and lizards, can run on water.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2015
Small, lightweight water striders, for instance, rely entirely on surface tension to stay afloat, while the larger, heavier basilisk lizards employ a slapping motion with their feet that creates pockets of air bubbles to keep from sinking.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 May 2020
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Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 16 June 2017
Both the mini-bug and water strider robots’ actuators are each composed of two shape memory alloy, 1/1000th inch-wide wires.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Jan. 2024
Going forward, however, the team intends to mimic other bug species while also creating a new water strider iteration capable of switching between moving atop water, and underneath its surface.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Jan. 2024
Part of this limitation is owed to the micro-robots’ designs—the water strider bot can flap its limbs to propel itself atop water, but its natural inspiration actually uses its legs to row to move much faster.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Jan. 2024
To be honest, the female water strider has an easy time of it.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2010
The water strider lays its eggs deeper in water to keep them out of reach of wasps, but the greater pressure is more likely to buckle the eggs.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 14 Sep. 2011
On Earth only a few legged species, such as water strider insects, some aquatic birds and lizards, can run on water.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2015
Small, lightweight water striders, for instance, rely entirely on surface tension to stay afloat, while the larger, heavier basilisk lizards employ a slapping motion with their feet that creates pockets of air bubbles to keep from sinking.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 May 2020
Cite this Entry
“Water strider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20strider. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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