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cockroach
(redirected from American cockroaches)

   Also found in: Medical, Encyclopedia 0.01 sec.
cock·roach  (kkrch)
n.
Any of numerous oval, flat-bodied insects of the family Blattidae, including several species that are common household pests.

[By folk etymology from obsolete cacarootch, from Spanish cucaracha, from cuca, caterpillar.]
Word History: The word for cockroach in Spanish is cucaracha, which should certainly set anyone with an eye for etymology to thinking. Users of English did not simply borrow the Spanish word, however. Instead, they made it conform in appearance to other English words: cock, the word for rooster, and roach, the name of a fish. We do not know exactly why these words were chosen other than their resemblance to the two parts of the original Spanish word. We do know that the first recorded use of the word comes from a 1624 work by the colonist John Smith. The form Smith used, cacarootch, is closer to the Spanish. A form more like our own, cockroche, is first recorded in 1657.

cockroach [ˈkɒkˌrəʊtʃ]
n
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any insect of the suborder Blattodea (or Blattaria), such as Blatta orientalis (oriental cockroach or black beetle): order Dictyoptera They have an oval flattened body with long antennae and biting mouthparts and are common household pests See also German cockroach, mantis
[from Spanish cucaracha, of obscure origin]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.cockroach - any of numerous chiefly nocturnal insectscockroach - any of numerous chiefly nocturnal insects; some are domestic pests
dictyopterous insect - cockroaches and mantids
Blattaria, Blattodea, suborder Blattaria, suborder Blattodea - cockroaches; in some classifications considered an order
Asiatic cockroach, blackbeetle, Blatta orientalis, oriental cockroach, oriental roach - dark brown cockroach originally from orient now nearly cosmopolitan in distribution
American cockroach, Periplaneta americana - large reddish brown free-flying cockroach originally from southern United States but now widely distributed
Australian cockroach, Periplaneta australasiae - widely distributed in warm countries
Blattella germanica, Croton bug, crotonbug, German cockroach, water bug - small light-brown cockroach brought to United States from Europe; a common household pest
giant cockroach - large tropical American cockroaches
Translations
cockroach [ˈkɒkrəʊtʃ] Ncucaracha f

cockroach [ˈkɒkrəʊtʃ] ncafard m, cancrelat m

cockroach
nKüchenschabe f, → Kakerlak m

cockroach [ˈkɒkˌrəʊtʃ] nscarafaggio, blatta

cockroach
n cockroach [ˈkokrəutʃ]
a beetle-like insect which is a household pest. kakkerlak صَرْصور хлебарка šváb kakerlak die Küchenschabe, die Kackerlake κατσαρίδα cucaracha tarakan سوسک torakka blatte מָקַק तिलचिट्टा žohar svábbogár lipas kakkalakki scarafaggio ごきぶり 바퀴벌레 tarakonas tarakāns lipas kakkerlak kakerlakk karaluch barata gândac de bucătărie таракан šváb ščurek žohar kackerlacka แมลงสาบ hamamböceği 蟑螂 тарган کاک روچ ، تِل چٹا con gián 蟑螂

cockroach صرصور šváb kakerlak Küchenschabe κατσαρίδα cucaracha torakka cafard žohar scarafaggio ゴキブリ 바퀴벌레 kakkerlak kakerlakk karaluch barata таракан kackerlacka แมลงสาบ hamam böceği con gián 蟑螂


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