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Glite Dictionary
firebrat

firebrat

9.9
A small wingless insect with a silver body that lives in warm, damp places near heaters
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪərˌbræt/
  • Specialized
: cucarachita de fuego
  • We found a firebrat hiding behind the hot water heater in the basement.

Examples

  • The pest control expert identified the tiny insect as a firebrat.

  • I spotted a firebrat near the water heater.

  • Firebrats prefer environments with consistently high temperatures and humidity.

  • Look, there's a firebrat on the wall!

  • We found a firebrat hiding behind the hot water heater in the basement.

  • The pest control expert identified the tiny insect as a firebrat.

  • Look, there's a firebrat on the wall!

Synonyms

Thermobia domestica
vsfirebrat
  • Specialized
9.6

A small insect without wings that lives in warm, moist places like near furnaces

serves as the common everyday name for the same insect

Surface Forms

firebrat singular
firebrats plural

Morphology

firebrat = fire + brat (semi-transparent) = fire + brat

The element 'fire' clearly signals association with heat (which matches the insect's habitat), but the element 'brat' is obscure in this biological name and does not transparently contribute a clear lexical meaning to learners.

Etymology

Firebrat joins fire ('heat') with brat, a short word for a small creature, as a helpful way to remember it was named for warm places. So, a firebrat is a tiny, heat-loving insect often found near furnaces and water heaters.