gnat

[nat]

noun

1. 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.

2. British.,  mosquito.

gnat

/ næt /

noun

1. any of various small fragile biting dipterous insects of the suborder Nematocera, esp Culex pipiens ( common gnat ), which abounds near stagnant water

Other Word Forms

• gnatlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gnat¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English gnæt ( t ); cognate with German (dial.) Gnatze

Word History and Origins

Origin of gnat¹

Old English gnætt; related to Middle High German gnaz scurf, German dialect Gnitze gnat

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, to fuss about trifles while ignoring more serious matters.

Example Sentences

Its water usually sits stagnant, attracting swarms of gnats to the field during the more humid months of the year.

From Los Angeles Times

With no screens or cell phones to take our attention, we ‘worked’ outside in the back of a pickup under a shade tree with a big fan that kept the gnats away.

From Salon

Amid hordes of gnats they excavate that first fossil, which turns out to be a damaged leg bone.

From Los Angeles Times

Gracus glanced sidelong at this enormous gnat that continued to buzz in his ear.

From Literature

The plant uses a musky odor to lure fungus gnats that usually feed and lay their eggs on mushrooms into their cup-shaped flowers.

From Science Daily

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