moth
Americannoun
-
any of numerous insects of the order Lepidoptera, generally distinguished from the butterflies by having feathery antennae and by having crepuscular or nocturnal habits.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of moth
before 950; Middle English motthe, Old English moththe; akin to German Motte, Old Norse motti
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.
The data revealed that about 110 species of bees were present in the area, which was more than the total number of species in the whole of Ireland, as well as 90 species of moth.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
The same concern applies to the agave redworm moth.
From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026
“If you were a bumblebee, a moth, or a short-tongued solitary bee, how might you approach this bloom?”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
The Natural History Museum’s Butterfly Pavilion is back, with up to 30 butterfly and moth species, as well as an assortment of California plants.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
My heart was a moth in my chest.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
