How to pronounce earwig
American English pronunciation
EER-wig
- IPA
- /ˈɪɹwɪɡ/
- Syllables
- EER · wig (2 syllables, stress on the 1st)
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What earwig means
A small brown insect with pincers at its tail end
In a sentence: Lila lifted the flowerpot and found an earwig waving its little pincers.
Where it comes from: It comes from an Old English word made of ear and wicga, an old word for a creeping bug. It was named for its back wings, which look like human ears when they unfold.
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