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cicada
[ si-key-duh, -kah- ]
/ sɪˈkeɪ də, -ˈkɑ- /
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noun, plural ci·ca·das, ci·ca·dae [si-key-dee, -kah-]. /sɪˈkeɪ di, -ˈkɑ-/.
any large homopterous insect of the family Cicadidae, the male of which produces a shrill sound by means of vibrating membranes on the underside of the abdomen.
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Origin of cicada
1350–1400; Middle English <Latin cicāda
Words nearby cicada
Cibber, Cíbola, ciborium, C.I.C., CICA, cicada, cicada killer, cicala, cicatricial tissue, cicatricle, cicatrix
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cicada in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for cicada
cicada
cicala
/ (sɪˈkɑːdə) /
noun plural -das, -dae (-diː), -las or -le (-leɪ)
any large broad insect of the homopterous family Cicadidae, most common in warm regions. Cicadas have membranous wings and the males produce a high-pitched drone by vibration of a pair of drumlike abdominal organs
Word Origin for cicada
C19: from Latin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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