seventeen-year locust: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, technical (entomology), regional (North America)
Quick answer
What does “seventeen-year locust” mean?
A common name for periodical cicadas of Brood X and similar broods, whose life cycle lasts approximately 17 years.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A common name for periodical cicadas of Brood X and similar broods, whose life cycle lasts approximately 17 years.
Used metaphorically to describe something that appears or happens very infrequently, or someone who emerges after a long absence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American. British English speakers are unlikely to use or recognize it, referring instead to 'cicadas' or 'periodical cicadas'.
Connotations
In the US, it often evokes childhood memories, nature, and the distinctive sound of their chorus. It carries a sense of cyclical wonder and occasional nuisance.
Frequency
Common in the Eastern and Midwestern US during emergence years; otherwise rarely used.
Grammar
How to Use “seventeen-year locust” in a Sentence
[the/these] seventeen-year locusts [have emerged/are singing/can be seen]an emergence of seventeen-year locuststhe return of the seventeen-year locustsVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in entomology and biology papers discussing insect life cycles and periodical emergence.
Everyday
Used in casual conversation, especially in affected regions, to discuss the noisy, large-scale insect emergence.
Technical
Used precisely to refer to cicadas of the genus Magicicada with a 17-year life cycle, specifically broods like Brood X.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “seventeen-year locust”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “seventeen-year locust”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “seventeen-year locust”
- Calling it a 'locust' (it's a cicada).
- Using it for any cicada.
- Assuming the cycle is exactly 17 years for every individual.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's a common misnomer. It is a cicada (genus Magicicada). True locusts are a type of grasshopper.
Broadly yes for specific broods, but the cycles can vary by a year, and different broods emerge in different years. The life cycle underground is approximately 17 years.
Primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States. Specific broods, like the famous Brood X, appear in a defined geographical range.
They do not bite or sting humans. They can cause minor damage to young trees when females lay eggs in branches, but they are generally not considered a serious agricultural pest.
A common name for periodical cicadas of Brood X and similar broods, whose life cycle lasts approximately 17 years.
Seventeen-year locust is usually informal, technical (entomology), regional (north america) in register.
Seventeen-year locust: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɛv(ə)ntiːn ˌjɪə ˈləʊkəst/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɛv(ə)nˌtin ˌjɪr ˈloʊkəst/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[to come/appear] like seventeen-year locusts (meaning very infrequently)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Seventeen' for the long wait, 'locust' (though incorrect) for the swarming, noisy insect. Remember it's a cicada, not a grasshopper.
Conceptual Metaphor
CYCLICAL NATURE IS A LONG-COUNT TIMER; INFREQUENT APPEARANCE IS A RARE EMERGENCE.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'seventeen-year locust' most accurately?