cockroach
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of cockroach
1615–25; < Spanish cucaracha, of uncertain origin, assimilated by folk etymology to cock 1, roach 2
Explanation
A cockroach is a large insect that's a familiar urban pest. If you've got cockroaches in your apartment, you'll see them scatter when you flip on the light in your kitchen at night. Cockroaches have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and experts guess they might outlive humans. These hardy insects have adapted to so many threats over time that they're nearly indestructible today. For example, radiation that would kill you won't harm a cockroach. It's almost impossible to drown them (they can live for hours without oxygen), and they're immune to most of the poisons people use on them. Cockroach comes from the Spanish cucaracha, "beetle."
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.
Sumesh Geevarghese, who lives in Cardiff with his family, described having a cockroach infestation at his rented apartment as "very stressful", adding: "They started coming from everywhere."
From BBC • May 28, 2026
The German cockroach is the most common of five main cockroach pests in the UK.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
After JPMorgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon used a cockroach analogy to warn about looming defaults, Nesbitt declared there were “No Cockroaches in Private Debt.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
As for animal metaphors, the squid has been joined by the cockroach.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
A sad cockroach lay on its back in the middle of the tiled floor.
From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman
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.
