noun
cicada
sih-KAY-duh
noun
1
A large insect known for the loud, buzzing song males produce, often heard in summer.
"The cicadas were so loud we could barely talk outside."
"Every 17 years, a huge brood of cicadas emerges from the ground."
How to Use Cicada
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA noisy, winged insect famous for its droning summer song.
Common pairings
cicada song
swarm of cicadas
Word Forms
cicadas plural, cicadae plural, cicadæ plural
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Etymology
From Latin cicada, believed to imitate the insect's sound.