Illustration of katydid
katydid
noun
ka·ty·did
ˈkā-tē-ˌdid 
: any of various large green American long-horned grasshoppers usually having stridulating organs on the forewings of the males that produce a loud shrill sound
Did you know?
Some animal names have been created through imitation of the sounds the animals make. The name katydid is an example of this process. These insects were given this name because the noise they make was thought to sound like “Katy-did, Katy-didn't” repeated over and over.
Examples of katydid in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Don’t rule out those nocturnal singers, the katydids, and their brothers, the katydid-nots.
—
Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
Insect culprits can range from beetles (adults and juveniles) to caterpillars, earwigs, crickets, grasshoppers and katydids.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2024
Several species of grasshopper and katydid will be green or light brown in color when young, and as such blend in very well with foliage or plant stems.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2024
In Arizona, crickets are most active during the warmer months, with activity peaking in late summer, according to Song of Insects, a website devoted to the study of crickets, katydids and cicadas.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 23 July 2024
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Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025
Insect culprits can range from beetles (adults and juveniles) to caterpillars, earwigs, crickets, grasshoppers and katydids.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2024
Several species of grasshopper and katydid will be green or light brown in color when young, and as such blend in very well with foliage or plant stems.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2024
In Arizona, crickets are most active during the warmer months, with activity peaking in late summer, according to Song of Insects, a website devoted to the study of crickets, katydids and cicadas.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 23 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for katydid
Cite this Entry
“Katydid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/katydid. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
katydid
noun
ka·ty·did
ˈkāt-ē-ˌdid
: any of various large green American grasshoppers with very long antennae and males that make a high-pitched noise using sound-producing organs on the forewings
Etymology
imitation
Word Origin
Some animal names have been created through imitation of the sounds the animals make. The name katydid is an example of this process. These insects were given this name because the noise they make was thought of as sounding like "Katy-did, Katy-didn't" repeated over and over.
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