kissing bug

noun

: any of various large bloodsucking bugs and especially some assassin bugs (genus Triatoma) including some capable of inflicting painful bites

called also conenose

Examples of kissing bug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The American counterpart to the Tsetse fly, which causes African sleeping sickness, kissing bugs bear a parasite from the same genus (Trypanosoma) in their feces. — Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Some kissing bugs can carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease, which, left untreated, can lead to serious heart or digestive problems. — Women's Health, 1 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kissing bug was in 1899

Rhymes for kissing bug

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kissing bug
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Cite this Entry

“Kissing bug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kissing%20bug. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on kissing bug

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kissing bug

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