Definitions

lightning bug

NOUN

nocturnal luminescent beetle

Synonyms

WEAK

candle fly fire beetle firefly fireworm glowworm lampyrid lantern fly noctiluca

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One fuzzy blink after another — and always just an inch from the grasp of sticky fingers — the lightning bugs begin to fill the air.

From Salon

Max was the tenderhearted one who got upset at so much as a caterpillar accidentally crushed underfoot, or a dead lightning bug caught in the grille of his family’s limousine.

From Literature

While fireflies, or lightning bugs as they are commonly known, are considered to be a staple in the Northeast, it's also the region where many firefly species are most vulnerable to going extinct.

From Salon

But these beloved, bioluminescent insects, also known as lightning bugs, are in trouble.

From National Geographic

Thorn pointed ahead, and there, through the now open path, was a lagoon, shining with beautiful crystal-clear waters and what looked like hundreds of blue lightning bugs.

From Literature