moth

noun

ˈmȯth 

plural moths ˈmȯt͟hz  ˈmȯths 

1

: clothes moth

2

: any of various usually nocturnal lepidopteran insects with antennae that are often feathery, with a stouter body, duller coloring, and proportionately smaller wings than the butterflies, and with larvae that are plant-eating caterpillars

mothlike

ˈmȯth-ˌlīk 

adjective

mothy

ˈmȯ-thē 

adjective

Examples of moth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The life cycle of a moth is 65 to 90 days, with female moths laying up to 300 eggs each. —Ellie Pithers, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025

With a microscope, these setae look like harpoons, and they’re filled with cocktails of venom proteins that are to scientists like Walker what light is to moths. —Ivan Amato, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2025

In the ancient world and the new Hope’s the same for moth and monarch: hazy Instrument of flight armies gnaw and gnash, leaving the dead Uncovered like a girl ablaze A century ago, crying for help, coveting just a drop of water. —Paul Tran, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025

The line included a range of patterns and colors, including Rorschach, a painterly rendition of large-scale butterflies, and Moth, which featured an overlapping design reminiscent of the details of moth wings. —Jennifer Bringle, WWD, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mothe, from Old English moththe; akin to Middle High German motte moth

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing moth

• brown-tail moth
• cecropia moth
• cinnabar moth
• clearwing moth
• clothes moth
• codling moth
• death's-head hawk moth
• diamondback moth
• hawk moth
• imperial moth
• Io moth
• luna moth
• Mediterranean flour moth
• moth bean
• moth-eaten
• oriental fruit moth
• peppered moth
• silk moth
• sphinx moth
• spongy moth
• tiger moth
• tussock moth
• wax moth

Kids Definition

moth

noun

ˈmȯth 

plural moths ˈmȯt͟hz  ˈmȯths 

: any of a group of night-flying insects that are lepidopterans often with duller coloring, stouter bodies, and smaller wings than the related butterflies and with antennae which are often feathery