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bug

bug

623 1.0
A small insect like an ant or beetle
  • noun
  • /bʌɡ/
translation icon : insecto
  • She made that amazing web, and she keeps bugs out of the barn.
  • bugs and insects
  • bugs and ants
  • beetles and bugs

What does this like if there's a bug, like an insect?

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Examples

Synonyms

ant
vsbug
308 1.0

A small insect that lives in large groups and works together

is the general small insect term, not focused on social colony structure
beetle
vsbug
95 1.0

A small insect with hard front wings that cover its back and a mouth for chewing

is the simple small insect category, not limited to hard‑winged types
bed bug
vsbug
84 2.1

A small insect with no wings that lives in beds and bites people at night

is the generic small insect meaning, not the blood‑feeding household pest
mosquito
vsbug
70 1.0

A small flying insect whose female bites people or animals to drink blood

is the general small insect label, not specific to blood feeding
firefly
vsbug
33 1.3

A small beetle that makes a soft light in its tail at night

is the general small insect label, not the glowing night insect group
ladybug
vsbug
  • US
21 1.0

A small round beetle with a red or yellow back and black spots that eats small insects

is the broader small insect category, not the colorful spotted beetle
gnat
vsbug
16 1.3

A very small flying insect that sometimes bites people or animals

is the wider small insect concept, not only tiny flying species
weevil
vsbug
15 7.0

A small beetle with a long snout that eats plants or stored grain

is the broader small insect meaning, not the snouted plant feeder type
aphid
vsbug
14 5.6

A small insect that sucks sap from plants and often damages them

is broader, meaning any small insect rather than plant sap feeders
midge
vsbug
4 6.1

A very small flying insect often found near water that sometimes bites

is the general small insect sense, not the water‑associated tiny flies
ladybird
vsbug
  • UK
3 1.0

A small round insect that often looks red with black spots

is the general small insect sense, not the spotted round beetle subset
stink bug
vsbug
  • US
1 3.5

An insect that gives off a strong bad smell when threatened

is the broader small insect category, not the odor‑emitting subgroup
flea beetle
vsbug
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A small leaf beetle with strong back legs that jumps like a flea and chews small holes in leaves

is the wide small insect sense, not the jumping beetle subgroup
stick insect
vsbug
1 5.6

A long thin insect that looks like a twig

is the generic small insect concept, not the twig‑like camouflage form
leaf bug
vsbug
1 6.7

A small bright insect that feeds on plant juices, often on leaves

is the general small insect idea, not limited to leaf feeders
stinkbug
vsbug
  • US
1 4.4

A small bug that makes a strong bad smell when scared

is the general small insect idea, not defined by that smell trait
leafhopper
vsbug
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A small jumping insect that sucks sap from plants and can damage crops

is the general small insect idea, not tied to jumping or crop harm
mealy bug
vsbug
1 6.4

A small insect with a white, cottony covering that eats and harms plants

is the broader small insect notion, not that distinctive coated type
flour beetle
vsbug
1 6.2

A small insect that lives in flour and stored grains and spoils food

is the general small insect meaning, not the stored‑food pest group
ladybird beetle
vsbug
  • UK
1 2.6

A small round beetle often red with black spots that eats insects like aphids

is the wide small insect category, not this gardener‑friendly beetle group
lady beetle
vsbug
  • US
1 1.8

A small round beetle with bright spots that eats small insects that harm plants

is the general small insect idea, not that beneficial beetle type
hemipteron
vsbug
  • Specialized
9.9

An insect with a tube-like mouth that sucks plant juices and front wings partly hard, like an aphid or cicada

is the broad small insect category, not a specific scientific order
hemipterous insect
vsbug
  • Specialized
9.9

An insect that sucks plant sap, with a long tube mouth and hard front wings at the base

is the general small insect label, not limited to that anatomical group
mirid bug
vsbug
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect that feeds on plants, usually on leaves

is the wider small insect notion, not specific to plant hosts
lygus bug
vsbug
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect that eats plants and can spread disease to crops

is the simple small insect concept, not focused on disease transmission
assassin bug
vsbug
  • Specialized
8.8

A long-legged bug that eats other insects and sometimes sucks blood from mammals

is the general small insect sense, not focused on predatory habits
rice weevil
vsbug
8.1

A small brown beetle that lives in and eats stored rice

is the general small insect idea, not the specific stored‑grain pest
bean beetle
vsbug
  • Specialized
7.4

A small beetle that eats bean leaves and damages crops

is the broader small insect concept, not specialized on bean plants
wax insect
vsbug
  • Specialized
9.3

An insect that makes a wax layer on its body to protect itself

is the broader small insect idea, not the wax‑secreting types
ladybeetle
vsbug
  • US
2.9

A small round insect with bright spots that eats aphids

is the broader small insect notion, not the predatory round beetle type

Idioms

1 7.2

Being very comfortable and warm under blankets

Tell someone about an idea so they will think about it later

to swallow a bug
  • Informal
9.8

To look surprised and uncomfortable

Compounds

84 2.1

A small insect with no wings that lives in beds and bites people at night

4 2.8

A small insect that makes a soft light at night

4 7.5

Having big eyes that stick out and look surprised

bug-out
  • Jargon
2 7.8

Ready to use in an emergency to leave quickly

1 5.8

A large brown beetle seen in late spring that often flies to lights

1 3.5

An insect that gives off a strong bad smell when threatened

1 5.7

A black and yellow beetle that eats potato leaves

bug-out
  • US
1 8.3

A quick plan to leave a place because of danger

1 9.1

A large bloodsucking bug that bites near the mouth and can spread Chagas disease

1 6.7

A small bright insect that feeds on plant juices, often on leaves

1 6.4

A small insect with a white, cottony covering that eats and harms plants

1 7.3

A common North American beetle whose young live on roots and adults eat leaves and flowers

true bug
  • Specialized
1 8.1

An insect with a thin mouth that pierces and sucks fluids, like a water strider

stink bug
  • Offensive
1 8.4

An unpleasant person who annoys others

9.3

An insect that moves on water using paddle-like back legs to eat small animals

bug storm
  • Jargon
7.9

A sudden large number of software errors that cause system problems

7.4

A person or object with big eyes that stick out, like a car headlight

A person who studies insects like beetles

bug-hunter
  • Jargon
4.0

A person who finds and reports software bugs and security problems

A small insect whose young eat wool carpets and clothes

chinch bug
  • Specialized
9.8

A small black and white bug that eats grasses like wheat and can damage crops

conenose bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A large insect that sucks blood from people and sometimes spreads disease

A large insect that sucks blood and can spread Chagas disease

coreid bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A bug with a long body and often widened hind legs that feeds on plants

9.5

A small light brown cockroach that often lives in kitchens and houses

assassin bug
  • Specialized
8.8

A long-legged bug that eats other insects and sometimes sucks blood from mammals

A small yellow or orange bug with four black stripes that makes spots on plant leaves

A small yellow insect with four black stripes on its back that feeds on plants

8.1

A small insect with a thin net pattern on its wings and body that feeds on plant leaves

A large insect that sucks plant sap and has leaflike hind legs

A large insect that feeds on plant juices and has leaf-shaped parts on its back legs

lygaeid bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A small brightly colored insect that eats crops and damages fruit trees

lygus bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect that eats plants and can spread disease to crops

May bug
  • UK
7.5

A large brown beetle that appears in late spring and whose young eat plant roots

mirid bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A small insect that feeds on plants, usually on leaves

A large water insect that eats small fish and other water animals

6.0

A small land animal that rolls into a ball when touched

6.0

A small bright insect that feeds on the juice inside plants

tarnished plant bug
  • Specialized
9.6

A small insect that feeds on many crop and garden plants and damages fruits

sow bug
  • US
7.9

A small grey animal with a hard oval body that lives under stones and logs

8.4

A large insect that feeds on the sap of plants like squash and pumpkins, often damaging crops

4.8

A small light brown cockroach that lives in houses

4.1

A large insect with long legs that lives on the surface of water

wheel bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A large North American insect with a wheel-shaped crest that eats other insects

Y10K bug
  • Specialized
9.9

A possible computer problem when programs cannot use dates after the year 9999

How Small

mite
11 5.1
aphid
14 5.6
bug
623 1.0
ant
308 1.0
beetle
95 1.0

Surface Forms

bug singular
bugs plural

Etymology

Bug first meant a scary spirit or goblin, which you can still see in words like bugbear and bugaboo. Later people used bug for small creatures like ants or beetles, so that's why we call insects 'bugs'.