grasshopper

[gras-hop-er]

noun

1. any of numerous herbivorous, orthopterous insects, especially of the families Acrididae and Tettigoniidae, having the hind legs adapted for leaping and having chewing mouth parts, some species being highly destructive to vegetation.

2. a small, light airplane used on low-flying missions, as for reconnaissance.

3. Military.,  Grasshopper, a U.S. antipersonnel mine that jumps off the ground when activated by proximate body heat and sprays shrapnel over a lethal radius of 350 feet (107 meters).

4. a cocktail of light cream, green crème de menthe, and white crème de menthe or crème de cacao.

grasshopper

/ ˈɡrɑːsˌhɒpə /

noun

1. any orthopterous insect of the families Acrididae ( short-horned grasshoppers ) and Tettigoniidae ( long-horned grasshoppers ), typically terrestrial, feeding on plants, and producing a ticking sound by rubbing the hind legs against the leathery forewings See also locust katydid

2. informal,  very young or very small

3. an iced cocktail of equal parts of crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream

4. (modifier) unable to concentrate on any one subject for long

   a grasshopper mind

Word History and Origins

Origin of grasshopper¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; grass ( def. ), hopper ( def. )

Idioms and Phrases

see knee-high to a grasshopper.

Example Sentences

Her metal artworks include a large grasshopper and a dinosaur, which are installed in her garden.

From BBC

In a series of posts, Gen Kainerugaba said his soldiers had captured Mr Sebuufu "liked a grasshopper" and he was learning Runyankore, a language spoken in western Uganda, while in custody.

From BBC

Our focus is on responses in plant-feeding populations, from tiny grasshoppers to giant pandas.

From Salon

Whether you are a grasshopper or a bird or a human, if you start destroying the environment in which you live, then you are overpopulated.

From Salon

In Japan grasshoppers, silkworms, and wasps were traditionally eaten in land-locked areas where meat and fish were scarce.

From BBC

Related Words

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• aphid 
• bee 
• beetle 
• butterfly 
• cockroach 
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• flea 
• fruit fly 
• gnat 
• ladybug 
• mite 
• mosquito 
• moth 
• pest 
• spider 
• termite 
• tick