cockroach
noun
cock·roach
| \ ˈkäk-ˌrōch
\
\
Definition of cockroach
: any of an order or suborder (Blattodea synonym Blattaria) of chiefly nocturnal insects including some that are domestic pests — compare German cockroach
Examples of cockroach in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On the other hand, cockroaches may be doing it, too. — Peter Byrne, Quanta Magazine, "In Pursuit of Quantum Biology With Birgitta Whaley," 30 July 2013 Scientists began to observe cockroaches as they were squished, trying to get a sense of how these sneaky little insects manage to squeeze through tight cracks and withstand heavy loads (like the crush of a human foot). — Kelly Mayes, Science | AAAS, "Watch a human try to crush this cockroach-inspired robot—and fail," 31 July 2019 In the study, Scharf and his fellow researchers tried three methods of controlling cockroach populations. — Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, "Researchers tried (and failed) to kill cockroaches for six months: 'We thought something was going to work'," 2 July 2019 In low-income scenarios, people have bigger problems than cockroaches or taking out their trash each day, typically. — Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, "Researchers tried (and failed) to kill cockroaches for six months: 'We thought something was going to work'," 2 July 2019 This fatalistic vision is brought to you by the very disturbing news that cockroaches have apparently begun to develop a cross-resistance to powerful insecticides. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "Cockroaches are becoming immune to insecticides. Have a great day.," 2 July 2019 Kramer was the prototype of the hipster doofus, an urban species about as likely to be eradicated as the cockroach. — Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY, "'Seinfeld': 30 ways the 'show about nothing' is still something 30 years later," 3 July 2019 Additionally, the cockroaches can pass that same immunity on to offspring. — Jen Juneau, PEOPLE.com, "Cockroaches Are Actually Becoming Immune to Insecticides — What to Know," 3 July 2019 Scharf says resistance within a single generation of the cockroaches sometimes increased four- or six-fold. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "Cockroaches are becoming immune to insecticides. Have a great day.," 2 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cockroach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cockroach
cockroach
noun
English Language Learners Definition of cockroach
: a black or brown insect that is sometimes found in people's homes
See the full definition for cockroach in the English Language Learners Dictionary
cockroach
noun
cock·roach
| \ ˈkäk-ˌrōch
\
\
Kids Definition of cockroach
: a black or brown insect that is active chiefly at night and can be a troublesome pest in homes
cockroach
noun
cock·roach
| \ ˈkäk-ˌrōch
\
\
Medical Definition of cockroach
: any of an order or suborder (Blattodea synonym Blattaria) of chiefly nocturnal insects including some that are domestic pests — see blatta, blattella, periplaneta
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