pill bug

noun

: wood louse
especially : a wood louse capable of curling itself into a ball

Examples of pill bug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Only, the mutant pill bugs who call the place home aren’t going to eat him. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2025 In an early scene, he is set upon by a shrieking, skittering swarm of creepers—imagine giant, whitish pill bugs with huge mandibles—and expects to be devoured (and resurrected) within seconds. — Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

pill entry 2; from its rolling into a ball when disturbed

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pill bug was in 1843

Rhymes for pill bug

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pill bug
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Cite this Entry

“Pill bug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pill%20bug. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

pill bug

noun
: wood louse
especially : a wood louse able to curl itself into a ball

More from Merriam-Webster on pill bug

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pill bug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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