katydid
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of katydid
An Americanism dating back to 1745–55; imitative
Explanation
A katydid is a type of grasshopper with extra-long antennae. You can hear katydids on summer nights making a loud, three-note sound. Like grasshoppers and crickets, katydids make noise by rubbing body parts together — in their case, by moving a leg against a wing and producing a sound that resembles their name. Katydids have also been known as "wide-horned grasshoppers," for the antennae that are often longer than their bodies. These insects are nocturnal and use camouflage, disguising themselves as green leaves to stay safe from predators.
Vocabulary lists containing katydid
Starfish
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Summer of the Monkeys
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Turtle Boy
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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.
This observation appears to be the first documented case of a katydid completing a full color transition within a single stage of its life.
From Science Daily • May 2, 2026
The Mormon cricket is not a true cricket but a shield-backed katydid.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 20, 2023
The insects, which technically aren't crickets, are members of the katydid family and don't sting or bite.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2023
Most katydid species are expertly camouflaged among vegetation to avoid the multitude of predators, and many of them have yet to be identified.
From The Guardian • May 27, 2019
There was not a peep to be heard but katydid noises outside in the deep, black night.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
