moth
Americannoun
-
moths
plural
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
She’s about to play a moth in a musical called “The Insects.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
The great migration of the Bogong moth was once a yearly feature of the Australian spring, the insects humming down the nation's east coast in their billions as they searched for cooler climes.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
I had gravitated to the color like a moth to light, seeking the dopamine hit of its glow, as if by osmosis I could absorb and become it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
A moth circling a porch light evolved to navigate by the moon; the bulb is an “evolutionary novelty” with which its ancestors never had to contend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
When the moth made contact, he expected her to manifest in his mind, but she didn’t.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
While the Bogong migration continued in the years following the population crash, scientists were aghast at how few moths were making the journey.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
"People described going into the caves and finding barely any moths, and just kind of being in shock," Drinkwater said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
A day after the fire broke out Wednesday,Raman put out a statement saying her office had flagged the property to the mayor’s office 10 moths ago, but nothing was done.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
He lists a particular genus of moths christened Eucosoma bobana followed by E. cocana, E. dodana, E. fofana and so on, in singalong fashion for 23 more variations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
She has studied the creatures that ride on their petals: the soft green bodies of caterpillars, the shiny armor of beetles, the delicate wings of moths.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
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.
