earwig

/'iəwig/

Thân thiện

An earwig crawls across a fallen leaf in the garden.

Definition

Noun: 1. A small insect: An insect of the order Dermaptera, characterized by a long, slender body, segmented antennae, and a distinctive pair of pincer-like appendages (cerci) at the tip of its abdomen. The name originates from an old, unfounded superstition that these insects crawl into human ears.

Examples of Usage

• The gardener found an earwig hiding under the damp flowerpot.
• Despite their scary-looking pincers, most earwigs are harmless to humans.
• The myth that an earwig can burrow into your ear is not scientifically true.

Advanced Usage

• "To earwig" (verb, archaic/rare): To fill someone's mind with private suggestions or rumors; to whisper insinuations. This usage is now very uncommon.
  • He tried to earwig the committee members before the vote.

Variants and Related Words

• Dermapteran (noun/adjective): The scientific term for an insect belonging to the order Dermaptera (earwigs).
  • The dermapteran species is primarily nocturnal.

Synonyms

• Pincher bug (noun, informal): A common name for an earwig, referring to its abdominal pincers.
• Forky-tail (noun, informal, regional): Another colloquial name for an earwig.

Related Idioms

• None directly associated with the insect. The verb form "to earwig" relates to the idiom "to whisper in someone's ear," meaning to give them private advice or information.

Học thuật

Noun

1. any of numerous insects of the order Dermaptera having elongate bodies and slender many-jointed antennae and a pair of large pincers at the rear of the abdomen