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Glite Dictionary
migratory grasshopper

migratory grasshopper

7.7
An insect that moves in large swarms and eats crops like wheat and pasture plants
  • noun
  • /ˈmaɪɡrəˌtɔri ˈɡræsˌhɑpər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : langosta migratoria
  • The migratory grasshopper is known to swarm in massive numbers, causing significant damage to crops.

Examples

  • ARS entomologist James R. Fisher is creating computer models to predict the hatching of the migratory grasshopper and other economically important species.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Farmers in the Midwest often take measures to control the population of the migratory grasshopper during the growing season.

  • Studies show that the migratory grasshopper can travel long distances in search of food, impacting agricultural production.

Surface Forms

migratory grasshopper singular
migratory grasshoppers plural

Morphology

migratory + grasshopper

The phrase is a simple adjective+noun composition: 'migratory' (moving seasonally) + 'grasshopper' (the insect), so its meaning — a grasshopper that migrates — is directly and transparently derivable from the parts. The specific species or pest status is encyclopedic detail beyond the compositional meaning and does not affect transparency, and this modifier+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common.

Etymology

The noun migratory grasshopper comes from how migratory grasshoppers gather in large groups and move long distances while eating crops. So the name shows they 'migrate' and explains why they are a serious 'pest' for farmers.