ladybug
Americannoun
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.
Pest-control companies often include a ladybug icon on their branding to indicate the product is a natural means of keeping houses free from unwelcome guests.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025
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
“If we see a kid get interested in a ladybug crawling on the ground, we turn that into a month-long lesson on what it eats, its transformation and how it protects the garden.”
From Washington Times • Jan. 5, 2023
Let’s say you want to remember ten animals: elephant, giraffe, cow, duck, bison, echidna,* sheep, praying mantis, ladybug, and tabby cat.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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.
