Illustration of mosquito
mosquito
noun
mos·qui·to
mə-ˈskē-(ˌ)tō 
plural mosquitoes also mosquitos
: any of a family (Culicidae) of dipteran flies with females that have a set of slender organs in the proboscis adapted to puncture the skin of animals and to suck their blood and that are in some cases vectors of serious diseases
Examples of mosquito in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ecological changes, including more time for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying bugs to bite you.
—
Sara Schilling, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2025
Later freeze dates can cause a longer fall allergy season and mosquitos overstaying their welcome, among other consequences.
—Matt Stiles, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Adding recycling collection fees, shifting funding, cutting city funds to programs like mosquito and deer control and the Elmbrook Humane Society, and cutting staff were some of the cost-cutting ideas members of the Finance Committee brought up in June.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Marigolds are colorful, easy to grow flowers and help to deter aphids, mosquitoes, whiteflies and, of course, the occasional moose.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mosquito
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Sara Schilling, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2025
Later freeze dates can cause a longer fall allergy season and mosquitos overstaying their welcome, among other consequences.
—Matt Stiles, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Adding recycling collection fees, shifting funding, cutting city funds to programs like mosquito and deer control and the Elmbrook Humane Society, and cutting staff were some of the cost-cutting ideas members of the Finance Committee brought up in June.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Marigolds are colorful, easy to grow flowers and help to deter aphids, mosquitoes, whiteflies and, of course, the occasional moose.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mosquito
Cite this Entry
“Mosquito.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mosquito. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mosquito
noun
mos·qui·to
mə-ˈskēt-ō
plural mosquitoes also mosquitos
: any of numerous two-winged flies of which the females have a needlelike structure of the mouth region adapted to puncture the skin and suck the blood of animals
Etymology
from Spanish mosquito "mosquito," literally "little fly," from mosca "fly"
Medical Definition
mosquito
noun
mos·qui·to
mə-ˈskēt-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w)
plural mosquitoes also mosquitos
: any of numerous dipteran flies of the family Culicidae that have a rather narrow abdomen, usually a long slender rigid proboscis, and narrow wings with a fringe of scales on the margin and usually on each side of the wing veins, that have in the male broad feathery antennae and mouthparts not fitted for piercing and in the female slender antennae and a set of needlelike organs in the proboscis with which they puncture the skin of animals to suck the blood, that lay their eggs on the surface of stagnant water, that include many species which pass through several generations in the course of a year and hibernate as adults or winter in the egg state, and that include some species which are the only vectors of certain diseases see aedes, anopheles, culex
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