sow bug

American

[sou] / saʊ /

noun

any of several small, terrestrial isopods, especially of the genus Oniscus; wood louse.

sow bug British

/ saʊ /

noun

any of various woodlice, esp any of the genera Oniscus and Porcellio

"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

Etymology

Origin of sow bug

First recorded in 1740–50

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 sow bugs or pill bugs that spent time in the container with the dry soil probably only stayed there temporarily before going back to the damp soil.

From Scientific American

We spot a sow bug, resembling a speck of dirt on a gray rock.

From New York Times

The group includes the terrestrial pill bugs and sow bugs, with numerous marine forms.

From Project Gutenberg

Although sow bugs and pill bugs are amazing in that they're crustaceans that have adapted to live on land, they still need moisture to breathe and survive.

From Scientific American

One group of critters that can usually be found just about anywhere on land includes the familiar sow bugs and pill bugs.

From Scientific American

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023