mosquito

IPA/məˈskiːtəʊ/
KK[məskˈito]IPA/məˈskiːtəʊ/

mosquito — noun

  • mosquitosingular
  • mosquitoesplural

1. A mosquito is a tiny flying insect. Only the female bites people or animals to d

1.nounA2
Definition

A mosquito is a tiny flying insect. Only the female bites people or animals to drink their blood, and some types of mosquitoes can spread illnesses such as malaria.

Example

Daichi woke up with three mosquito bites on his arm after leaving the window open.

collocation: mosquito bite(s)

Adina sprayed insect repellent on her skin before walking into the forest at dusk.

collocation: insect repellent (keep mosquitoes away)

Common collocations
  • mosquito bite
  • mosquito net
  • mosquito repellent
  • mosquito-borne disease
  • swat a mosquito
Synonyms
  • gnat

    Gnat is a general word for any small flying insect that bites; mosquitoes are a specific type of gnat-like insect.

  • midge

    Midge refers to a very small biting fly, usually smaller than a mosquito; common in British English.

Grammar Patterns

a mosquito

mosquitoes (plural)

Usage Note

Mosquito is a countable noun: one mosquito, two mosquitoes. The word is often used in the plural because mosquitoes are usually discussed as a group.

Common Mistakes

I got mosquitoe bites all over my legs.
I got mosquito bites all over my legs.
The plural of 'mosquito' is 'mosquitoes' but the noun modifier stays singular: 'mosquito bite', not 'mosquitoes bite'.
The mosquitoe is flying around the room.
A mosquito is flying around the room.
'Mosquito' is a countable noun; use 'a' or 'the' depending on whether it is the first mention.

Word family

  • mosquito-borne
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Mosquito, gnat, midge, and fly all refer to small flying insects, but they differ in the kind of insect and in how they are used. Mosquito is the most specific and common word: it refers to a particular insect with a long mouthpart that pierces the skin to drink blood. Gnat is a more general, informal term for any tiny biting fly, including mosquitoes but also other similar insects. Midge is common in British English and describes very small flies — often smaller than mosquitoes — that gather near water. Fly is the broadest term and covers all two-winged insects; a housefly, for example, does not bite. In everyday use, a speaker is most likely to say 'mosquito' when referring to the biting insect that buzzes around at night, whereas 'gnat' may be used for any tiny annoying fly outdoors during the day.

gnat ↗midge ↗fly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • mosquito bite
  • mosquito net
  • mosquito repellent
  • mosquito-borne disease

Phrases

  • swat a mosquito
  • keep mosquitoes away
  • protect against mosquitoes

Prepositions

  • mosquitoes in [area]
  • mosquitoes near [water]

Etymology

SpanishLatinEnglish

Mosquito comes from the Spanish word 'mosquito,' meaning 'little fly' — a combination of 'mosca' (fly) and '-ito' (a suffix meaning small). The word entered English in the late 1500s, when Spanish explorers brought the name back from the Americas.