noun

beetle

BEE-tuhl

noun

An insect with hard, protective forewings that cover its flying wings.

"A large black beetle crawled across the porch."

verb

To move away hastily or scurry off.

"He beetled off down the corridor before anyone could stop him."

How to Use Beetle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA hard-shelled insect, or (informally) to scurry away quickly.

Common pairings

beetle off a black beetle

Word Forms

more beetle comparative, beetled past tense, beetled past tense, beetled past tense, beetles plural, Beetles plural, beetles singular, beetles singular, beetles singular, most beetle superlative

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A large black _____ crawled across the porch.

Etymology

From Old English bitela, related to "bite" — the name likely referred to the insect's biting mouthparts.