ladybug

[ ley-dee-buhg ]

/ ˈleɪ diˌbʌg /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ladybug ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any of numerous small, round, often brightly colored and spotted beetles of the family Coccinellidae, feeding chiefly on aphids and other small insects, but including several forms that feed on plants.

Nearby words

lady-of-the-night, ladybeetle, ladybird, ladybird beetle, ladyboy, ladybug, ladyfinger, ladyfish, ladyfy, ladykin, ladylike

Origin of ladybug

First recorded in 1690–1700; lady + bug¹

Also called ladybeetle, lady beetle, ladybird beetle, ladybird.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ladybug

Exhale on the cold pane, then draw a ladybug in the condensation.
Crushing Christmas: How to Win Every Argument|Kelly Williams Brown|December 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She has nicknames for all her students—she coos that they are her “ladybug” or “honey pie” or “sexy lady.”
A Love Letter to ‘American Idol’ Judge Nicki Minaj|Ramin Setoodeh|March 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Although the stranger in yellow was most agreeable, somehow Mrs. Ladybug disliked her exceedingly.
The Tale of Mrs. Ladybug|Arthur Scott Bailey
Most important of these is the natural enemy of the orange-tree scale, the ladybug, or ladybird beetle.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter

At least, they soon discovered Mrs. Ladybug standing beside a blazing dwelling near the pasture fence.
The Tale of Mrs. Ladybug|Arthur Scott Bailey
"I am his mistress," said Ladybug, and seized the shape by the throat.
Negro Tales|Joseph Seamon Cotter
He had taken up Mrs. Ladybug's suggestion only to keep her quiet.
The Tale of Daddy Longlegs|Arthur Scott Bailey

Word Origin and History for ladybug

ladybug

1690s, from lady + bug (n.). The "lady" is the Virgin Mary (cf. German cognate Marienkäfer). In Britain, now usually ladybird beetle (1704), through aversion to the word bug, which there has overtones of sodomy.

ladybug

noun

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Origin of ladybug

Examples from the Web for ladybug

Word Origin and History for ladybug

ladybug