ladybug
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of ladybug
Explanation
A ladybug is a tiny, flying beetle that's usually red with black dots. Some people think it's good luck when a ladybug lands on them. Scientifically, the ladybug is known as a coccinellid, one of a family of insects that are generally brightly colored and spotted. They are sometimes also called "lady birds" or "lady cows." Gardeners love them because they tend to eat pesky bugs like aphids that feed on plants and flowers. The lady part of their name refers to the Bible's Virgin Mary, named for the red cape she wears in many well-known paintings.
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.
The harlequin lady beetle is more aggressive than its peers, said John Losey, director of the Lost Ladybug project at Cornell University.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025
Ladybug has a series of epic fights, each more creative than the last.
From Salon • Aug. 5, 2022
As Ladybug, a member of an elite assassination force whose expertise lies in “snatch and grab” jobs, Pitt is relaxed, endearingly goofy and consistently on point.
From Washington Post • Aug. 2, 2022
The group — Ishmael Butler, Mary Ann Vieira and Craig Irving, who performed as Butterfly, Ladybug Mecca and Doodlebug — has re-formed for a reunion tour, its first in over a decade.
From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2016
“Wouldn’t it be dreadful if the thread broke,” the Ladybug said.
From "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
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.
