cock·roach (k k r ch )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
Noun
a beetle-like insect which is a household pest [Spanish cucaracha]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  cockroach - any of numerous chiefly nocturnal insects; some are domestic pestsdictyopterous 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
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
How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|