Did you know?
Members of a family of insects, cicadas have a stout body, wide blunt head, two pairs of transparent wings, prominent compound eyes, and three simple eyes. Most of the 1,500 known species are found in tropical deserts, grasslands, and forests. Males produce loud noises by vibrating membranes near the base of the abdomen. Most North. American cicadas produce rhythmical ticks, buzzes, or whines, though the "song" of some species is musical. Periodic cicadas, including the well-known 17-year cicada (often erroneously called the 17-year locust) and 13-year cicada appear in regular cycles. Their larvae burrow into the ground, where they remain for 13 or 17 years, feeding on juices sucked from roots. Then they emerge in large numbers to live aboveground as adults for a single week.
Examples of cicada in a Sentence
Lauren Markham, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, the drone of synths and cicadas create a threatening environment from the start, while suggesting the possibility that maybe this is all just an extension of Conor’s introverted psyche.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025
Ninety-seven per cent of animals—think clams, crabs, cicadas—are invertebrates.
—Shayla Love, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
There were evil cicadas buzzing around, a sentient instant camera taking pictures on its own, a possibly nefarious ventriloquist dummy, and an evil ghost lady in a kimono.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cicada
Cite this Entry
“Cicada.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cicada. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share