What does "grasshopper" mean?
A mostly herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera, noted for its ability to jump long distances and for the habit of some species communicating by stridulation; they are related to but distinct from crickets.
Grasshopper
/ˈɡɹæsˌhɑpəɹ/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mostly herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera, noted for its ability to jump long distances and for the habit of some species communicating by stridulation; they are related to but distinct from crickets.
- Grammar: grasshopper is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: hopper, acridid, airplane, broad jumper.
- Usage evidence: A grasshopper and many ants lived in a field.
How to use "grasshopper"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "grasshopper" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "grasshopper" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "grasshopper" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "grasshopper" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "grasshopper" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "hopper" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "grasshopper", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mostly herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera, noted for its ability to jump long distances and for the habit of some species communicating by stridulation; they are related to but distinct from crickets.
"Even in my happiest moments, while the grass was crowded with flowers beneath me—the sweet monotony of the running water in mine ear, only broken by the cheerful chant of the grasshopper—the boughs of the chestnut, filled with sunshine, dazzling my eyes, till the golden air seemed thronged with lovely shapes,—even then came pale and mournful shadows, whose white faces looked upon me pityingly."
- 2 terrestrial plant-eating insect with hind legs adapted for leaping wordnet
- 3 A mostly herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera, noted for its ability to jump long distances and for the habit of some species communicating by stridulation; they are related to but distinct from crickets.; In the strict sense, refers to insects in the suborder Caelifera, particularly those in the family Acrididae.
- 4 a cocktail made of creme de menthe and cream (sometimes with creme de cacao) wordnet
- 5 A mostly herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera, noted for its ability to jump long distances and for the habit of some species communicating by stridulation; they are related to but distinct from crickets.; In a looser sense, also includes the katydids (also known as longhorned grasshoppers or bush crickets), which are members of the family Tettigoniidae, of the suborder Ensifera.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A cocktail made with crème de menthe and optionally with crème de cacao.
"Does he order Scotch-on-the-rocks in a low, mean voice? No? A Bud? No? A grasshopper, heavy on the creme de menthe? Right!"
- 7 A young student in the initial stages of training who has been chosen on account of their obvious talent. figuratively
"Although we don't know exactly why Li is chosen to dance, we witness a man assuring officials that the child isn't from bourgeois stock. Phew. There are no known landowners in the family, so the grasshopper passes some cultural purity test, in a state often fixated on class warfare, driven by the cult of personality, and bullied by paranoia."
- 8 A frequent user of marijuana. slang
- 9 In ordinary square or upright pianos of London make, the escapement lever or jack, so made that it can be taken out and replaced with the key.
"John Geib […]patented the hopper with two separate escapements, one of which soon became adopted in the grasshopper of the square piano"
- 10 A fairy chess piece which moves orthogonally or diagonally, but must hop over a piece to move or capture, landing one square beyond the hopped piece.
Verb
- 1 Of a crop, to be ruined or destroyed by grasshoppers. transitive
- 2 To move a riverboat over an obstruction, such as a sandbar. transitive
- 3 Of an animal, to hunt and eat grasshoppers. rare, transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"A grasshopper and many ants lived in a field."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "grasshopper"?
Common synonyms include: hopper, acridid, airplane, broad jumper, bucking bronco, buckjumper.
How do you use "grasshopper" in a sentence?
A grasshopper and many ants lived in a field.
How do you pronounce "grasshopper"?
Pronounced /ˈɡɹæsˌhɑpəɹ/.
Etymology
From Middle English grashoppere, alteration of earlier grashoppe, from Old English græshoppa (“grasshopper”). Equivalent to grass + hopper. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Gäärshupper, Dutch grashupper, grashipper, German Low German Grashüpper, Gresshüpper, German Grashüpfer, Danish græshoppe, Swedish gräshoppa, Norwegian gresshoppe.