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mosquito

muh-SKEE-toh/məˈski.toʊ/mo-SKEE-toh/mɒˈskiː.təʊ/

Pluralmosquitoes, mosquitos

2 meanings of mosquito

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A small flying insect of the family Culicidae whose females bite humans and animals to suck blood, leaving an itching bump and sometimes spreading diseases such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever.

    A single mosquito kept me awake half the night with its high-pitched whine.

    The campers swatted at mosquitoes as the sun went down over the lake.

    UsagePlural mosquitoes, also spelled mosquitos. You get bitten by one and have a mosquito bite.

    Similarskeeter, mossie

Less common meaning

  1. 2
    verbrare
    To fly low over the ground in a wandering way, without following a set course.

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Origin

Borrowed from Spanish mosquito ("gnat"), the diminutive of mosca ("fly"), which comes from Latin musca ("fly") and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mūs- ("fly, stinging fly, gnat"). It is first recorded in English in the later 1500s.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 6 facts

  • English mosquito was borrowed from Spanish mosquito, meaning gnat. en.wiktionary.org
  • Spanish mosquito is a diminutive of mosca, meaning fly. en.wiktionary.org
  • Spanish mosca comes from Latin musca. en.wiktionary.org
  • Latin musca means fly. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *mūs-, meaning fly, stinging fly, or gnat. en.wiktionary.org
  • An English occurrence appears in Henry Hawkes's report dated 1572, subsequently published in Hakluyt's collection. The report's date establishes an earlier attestation. gutenberg.org