bug
bug Lexical Profile
bug Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small terrestrial invertebrate, typically an insect, spider, or centipede, especially one that crawls or flies.
"We spent the afternoon looking under rocks to see what kinds of bugs lived in the garden."
An unexpected error, flaw, or fault in a computer program or system that prevents it from functioning correctly.
"The developers stayed late to fix a critical bug that was crashing the application upon startup."
A concealed miniature microphone used for covert eavesdropping or surveillance.
"The intelligence agents planted a bug in the diplomat's office to monitor his private conversations."
• verb
To annoy, bother, or irritate someone persistently.
"Please stop tapping your pen on the desk; it is really beginning to bug me."
To secretly install a concealed miniature microphone in a room, vehicle, or device to monitor conversations.
"The detectives secured a warrant to bug the suspect's vehicle as part of an ongoing investigation."
To bulge or protrude outward (especially of the eyes in response to surprise or fear).
"His eyes bugged out in disbelief when he saw the final score of the championship game."
Word Nuance & Usage
In scientific entomology, 'bug' strictly refers only to insects of the order Hemiptera (which possess piercing and sucking mouthparts), whereas in everyday usage it broadly encompasses any insect, spider, or small crawling invertebrate.
• Rhymes for bug
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Middle English 'bugge' (meaning a hobgoblin, scarecrow, or terrifying thing). It was later applied to creeping insects due to their unsettling nature, and eventually expanded to mean mechanical faults and listening devices in the 20th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.