WATER BUG

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does water bug mean? 

• WATER BUG (noun)
  The noun WATER BUG has 2 senses:

1. a true bug: large aquatic bug adapted to living in or on the surface of water

2. small light-brown cockroach brought to United States from Europe; a common household pest

  Familiarity information: WATER BUG used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WATER BUG (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A true bug: large aquatic bug adapted to living in or on the surface of water

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("water bug" is a kind of...):

heteropterous insect (true bugs: insects whose forewings are membranous but have leathery tips)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "water bug"):

giant water bug (large water bug with piercing and sucking mouthparts; feeds on young fishes)

water scorpion (long-legged aquatic insect having the front legs fitted for seizing and holding prey and the abdomen extended by a long breathing tube)

boat bug; water boatman (carnivorous aquatic bug having paddle-like hind legs)

pond-skater; water skater; water strider (long-legged bug that skims about on the surface of water)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Small light-brown cockroach brought to United States from Europe; a common household pest

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

Blattella germanica; Croton bug; crotonbug; German cockroach; water bug

Hypernyms ("water bug" is a kind of...):

cockroach; roach (any of numerous chiefly nocturnal insects; some are domestic pests)

Holonyms ("water bug" is a member of...):

Blattella; genus Blattella (small cockroaches)

 Context examples 

Laurie and Jo rowed one boat, Mr. Brooke and Ned the other, while Fred Vaughn, the riotous twin, did his best to upset both by paddling about in a wherry like a disturbed water bug.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)