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ladybird

British

/ ˈleɪdɪˌbɜːd /

noun

Usual US and Canadian name: ladybug. any of various small brightly coloured beetles of the family Coccinellidae, such as Adalia bipunctata ( two-spotted ladybird ), which has red elytra marked with black spots

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ladybird

C18: named after Our Lady, the Virgin Mary

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.

It is easy to tell the difference between the two species, as the seven-spot ladybird is red and has seven spots, while the harlequin can vary in colour and have a greater number of spots.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

The nursery rhyme that goes “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, your house is on fire, your children are gone” cruelly repeated in my head.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025

Previous studies have shown that animals including ladybird beetles and sand tiger sharks practice such lardering behavior.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 15, 2024

A bee, butterfly, ladybird, wren and robin all appear on the invite's border to symbolize the beginning of spring and Charles's dedication to sustainability.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2023

‘When a ladybird is walking across a leaf, I is hearing her feet going clumpety-clumpety-clump like giants’ footsteps.’

From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023