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Synonyms

moth

American  
[mawth, moth] / mɔθ, mɒθ /

noun

plural

moths

  1. any of numerous insects of the order Lepidoptera, generally distinguished from the butterflies by having feathery antennae and by having crepuscular or nocturnal habits.

  2. clothes moth.

moth British  
/ mɒθ /

noun

  1. any of numerous insects of the order Lepidoptera that typically have stout bodies with antennae of various shapes (but not clubbed), including large brightly coloured species, such as hawk moths, and small inconspicuous types, such as the clothes moths Compare butterfly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • demoth verb (used with object)

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.

Like the moths of nearby Manchester that evolved from white to black to survive the Industrial Revolution, they’re products of their filthy environment.

From Los Angeles Times

That bit of rope couldn’t keep his trousers from drooping dangerously low, and the moths had made quite a meal out of his felt hat.

From Literature

A single bulb hung from its ceiling, around which moths circled.

From Literature

The knob jiggles, the door opens, a moth flies inside, and a lady with gray hair sticks her head out.

From Literature

My heart was a moth in my chest.

From Literature

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.