gnat
Americannoun
-
any of certain small flies, especially the biting gnats or punkies of the family Ceratopogonidae, the midges of the family Chironomidae, and the black flies of the family Simuliidae.
-
British. mosquito.
idioms
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gnat
before 900; Middle English; Old English gnæt ( t ); cognate with German (dial.) Gnatze
Explanation
Those tiny black insects swarming around your head just as the sun goes down are probably gnats, very small flies that are extremely annoying but usually don't bite. If those little flying creatures bite you, they're most likely mosquitoes. If they just irritate you, landing on your face and creating a cloud around your head? They're gnats. Although the word comes from a Germanic root related to gnaw and meaning "biting insect," the truth is most gnats just want to fly around, eat plants, and mate. Occasionally they're attracted to the fluids in your eyes, which means you'll have to swat them away.
Vocabulary lists containing gnat
Louder than Hunger
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 6
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Originally as the Yellowjacks, due to the colour of the Gnat trainer aircraft they flew, they were soon painted red.
From BBC • Aug. 22, 2024
Described as being in good condition, the aircraft was one of the first of its type delivered to the RAF team after the Folland Gnat jets originally flown by the Red Arrows were replaced.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2023
Another Helton moment occurred shortly after he arrived on campus in the small Georgia town of Statesboro, located 210 miles southeast of Atlanta and known as, among other things, the Gnat Capital of the World.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2022
Other early-model drones sounded non-threatening, almost comical: the Gnat, the Albatross and the Lightning Bug.
From Washington Post
There were creeks called Bear, Rock, Benson, Wolf, Gnat and Fox, which with Nello, Arizona, and many more, went to make up the far-famed Klondyke River.
From The Trail of a Sourdough Life in Alaska by Sullivan, May Kellogg
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.
