ladybug
Americannoun
-
ladybugs
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ladybug
Explanation
A ladybug is a tiny, flying beetle that's usually red with black dots. Some people think it's good luck when a ladybug lands on them. Scientifically, the ladybug is known as a coccinellid, one of a family of insects that are generally brightly colored and spotted. They are sometimes also called "lady birds" or "lady cows." Gardeners love them because they tend to eat pesky bugs like aphids that feed on plants and flowers. The lady part of their name refers to the Bible's Virgin Mary, named for the red cape she wears in many well-known paintings.
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.
See Examples For:
Its ascendance has contributed to the population decline of various native ladybug species—and more Americans associating ladybugs with infestation and invasion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
“Before the game, a ladybug landed on my shoe. And you all know what that means,” Aiyuk said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 28, 2024
In another, a ladybug drinks water from a dewdrop on a long blade of grass.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 22, 2024
They giggled and zoomed in on their friends’ faces, and looked at the snow on the mountains and a ladybug on a blade of grass.
From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023
One day she wore a denim miniskirt with green stockings, and crawling up one leg was a parade of enamel ladybug and butterfly pins.
From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli
Its ascendance has contributed to the population decline of various native ladybug species—and more Americans associating ladybugs with infestation and invasion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
Important factors are the places where the animals are found and their level of popularity -- squirrels and ladybugs come out on top here.
From Science Daily ● May 8, 2024
Shilling’s upcoming solo exhibition of paintings and ceramics, “A Bug’s Life” at Jeffrey Deitch Los Angeles in April, will feature “spring themes” such as frogs, flora and fauna, ladybugs, caterpillars and butterflies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2023
In the United Kingdom, some species of bees, ladybugs and spider populations are declining at faster rates in protected natural areas.
From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2023
Where did ladybugs go when the rain came hard and fast?
From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed
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.
