English Explanatory Dictionary

cockroach

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any black or brown straight-winged insect of the order Blattodea that is not a termite.
  2. Term of abuse.
  3. A person or a member of a group of people regarded as undesirable and rapidly procreating.
  4. A person from New South Wales.
  5. A hard lump of brown sugar.

Pronunciation

/ˈkɑkɹoʊt͡ʃ/ /ˈkɑkəɹoʊt͡ʃ/ /ˈkɒkɹəʊt͡ʃ/ en-us-cockroach.ogg

Word forms

cockroach cockroaches

Etymology

From Spanish cucaracha, from cuca (“butterfly caterpillars”), of onomatopoeic origin; see also Greek κόκκυξ (kókkux) and Late Latin cucus. Influenced, by means of folk etymology, by cock and roach. Doublet of cucaracha.

Synonyms

roach scum

Derived words

amber forest cockroach amber wood cockroach American cockroach Asiatic cockroach Australian cockroach Australian wood cockroach brown-banded cockroach brown cockroach cockroachicide cockroachlike cockroach of the sea cockroach taxi cockroach theory cockroach wasp cockroachy death's head cockroach emerald cockroach wasp Florida woods cockroach German cockroach giant burrowing cockroach giant cockroach Gisborne cockroach greenhouse cockroach hissing cockroach Japanese cockroach kikeroach Madagascar hissing cockroach Madeira cockroach oriental cockroach Pennsylvanian cockroach Pennsylvania wood cockroach red runner cockroach rhinoceros cockroach roach rusty red cockroach smokybrown cockroach Surinam cockroach Turkestan cockroach Turkroach
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