tiger beetle

American

noun

any of numerous active, usually brightly colored beetles, of the family Cicindelidae, that prey on other insects.

tiger beetle British

noun

any active predatory beetle of the family Cicindelidae, chiefly of warm dry regions, having powerful mandibles and long legs

"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 tiger beetle

First recorded in 1820–30

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:

tiger beetle

The northern dune tiger beetle is particularly fast moving and can travel at up to 2.5m a second, said Harper.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

The 12 diurnal tiger beetle species that the researchers included in the study are evidence of this.

From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024

With its iridescent blue-green exterior and round, expressive eyes, some would call the Miami tiger beetle beautiful.

From National Geographic ● Nov. 28, 2023

That includes spraying for mosquito control “where feasible” to protect species including the Houston toad and the Miami tiger beetle, according to government documents.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 8, 2022

At certain rotten trunks I was sure to get the curious little tiger beetle, Therates flavilabris.

From The Malay Archipelago, the land of the orang-utan and the bird of paradise; a narrative of travel, with studies of man and nature — Volume 1 by Wallace, Alfred Russel

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