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Meaning of earwig
The primary meaning of the word "earwig" refers to a type of insect.
Etymology of earwig
The word "earwig" has its roots in Old English, with "ear" referring to the insect's supposed habit of entering the human ear, and "wig" or "wicga" meaning insect or beetle, possibly due to the insect's resemblance to a worm or a wiggling creature.
Historically, the term "earwig" has been used to describe the insect since the 14th century, with its secondary meaning as an eavesdropper emerging in the 15th century.
Synonyms
Definitions
- A long, flat, insect with a pair of large pincers at the end of its body, belonging to the order Dermaptera.
- An informal term for a person who listens in on other people's conversations, typically in order to gather information or gossip.
Usage Examples
- The earwig crawled across the kitchen counter, its pincers snapping wildly as it moved.
- She was known as an earwig, always listening in on other people's conversations and spreading gossip.
- The entomologist spent years studying the behavior of earwigs, learning about their habitat and social patterns.