CICADA

cicada. Cicada, n. a genus of insects of the cricket kind

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Ci‐ca″da (sĭ‐kā″dȧ), n.; pl. E. Cicadas (–dȧz), L. Cicadæ (–dē). [] (Zoöl.) Any species of the genus Cicada. They are large hemipterous insects, with nearly transparent wings. The male makes a shrill sound by peculiar organs in the under side of the abdomen, consisting of a pair of stretched membranes, acted upon by powerful muscles. A noted American species (C. septendecim) is called the seventeen year locust. Another common species is the dogday cicada.