moth
Americannoun
-
moths
plural
-
any of numerous insects of the order Lepidoptera, generally distinguished from the butterflies by having feathery antennae and by having crepuscular or nocturnal habits.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of moth
before 950; Middle English motthe, Old English moththe; akin to German Motte, Old Norse motti
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She’s about to play a moth in a musical called “The Insects.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
The great migration of the Bogong moth was once a yearly feature of the Australian spring, the insects humming down the nation's east coast in their billions as they searched for cooler climes.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
The custard-and-chocolate-coloured moth was found at the National Trust site previously but had not been seen since 1952.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
I had gravitated to the color like a moth to light, seeking the dopamine hit of its glow, as if by osmosis I could absorb and become it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
How does a male moth find his female even if she is miles away?
From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall
Photos showed how the endangered moths clustered together so densely inside their caves, it was impossible to see the rock beneath.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
"People described going into the caves and finding barely any moths, and just kind of being in shock," Drinkwater said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Steve Palin and Charles Aron, who are both lepidopterists and specialise in the study of moths, said the beauty of trapping moths was "you just never know what's going to turn up".
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
A day after the fire broke out Wednesday,Raman put out a statement saying her office had flagged the property to the mayor’s office 10 moths ago, but nothing was done.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
The moths perched on their brows, or on the ridges of their cheekbones.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
