leafhopper

leafhopper — noun

1. a tiny jumping insect that feeds by sucking the sap from plant leaves and stems

1.nounC2
Definition

a tiny jumping insect that feeds by sucking the sap from plant leaves and stems

Example

Minho found a bright green leafhopper sitting on a leaf of his tomato plant.

leafhopper + on + [plant part] for describing location

Leafhoppers damaged the young rice plants and left brown patches across the field.

Common collocations
  • green leafhopper
  • rice leafhopper
  • tea leafhopper
  • leafhopper damage
  • leafhopper infestation
Synonyms
  • jassid

    older scientific term, now less common; used for certain leafhopper groups

  • sharpshooter

    a type of leafhopper in the subfamily Cicadellinae, known for forcefully ejecting liquid waste

Usage Note

Do not confuse with grasshoppers, which are larger insects that chew plant leaves rather than sucking sap.

Common Mistakes

The leafhopper ate holes in the leaf.
The leafhopper sucked sap from the leaf.
leafhoppers pierce plants and drink the liquid inside; they do not chew or eat solid plant tissue.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Leafhoppers belong to the family Cicadellidae and are among the most numerous of all plant-feeding insects, with thousands of species worldwide. They are generally small (under 1 cm) and wedge-shaped. Planthoppers (superfamily Fulgoroidea) are a separate group with a broader, often flattened body shape and antennae positioned below the eyes. Treehoppers (family Membracidae) are famous for their enlarged pronotum — a structure behind the head that often grows into bizarre horns or humps — and are found mainly on trees and shrubs. Froghoppers (family Cercopidae) are best known for their nymph stage, which surrounds itself in a protective mass of foam called 'cuckoo spit.' Cicadas (family Cicadidae) are much larger, with some species reaching 5 cm; males produce deafening calls to attract mates, and their nymphs live underground for years before emerging. For a learner describing a small, wedge-shaped jumping insect on garden plants, leafhopper is almost always the right word.

planthoppertreehopperfroghoppercicada

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • green leafhopper
  • rice leafhopper

Prepositions

Etymology

English

A modern English compound formed from leaf and hopper. The name describes the insect's behaviour: it hops from leaf to leaf while feeding. The word entered scientific and agricultural use in the late 19th century as entomologists classified the family Cicadellidae.

First known use

1838

1838, in the meaning defined above