grasshopper
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a green or brown insect with long back legs that it uses for jumping.
a herbivorous insect of the order Orthoptera, characterized by long hind legs adapted for leaping and the production of sound by stridulation.
Simple“The grasshopper jumped from the tall blade of grass as I walked by.”
In context“During the summer months, the meadow was alive with the rhythmic chirping of grasshoppers hidden deep within the vegetation.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a name for a young student or beginner who shows a lot of talent.
a figurative term for a novice or apprentice, often implying a relationship with a mentor or teacher.
Simple“Patience, young grasshopper; you will learn the skill in time.”
In context“The senior developer often referred to the new intern as 'grasshopper', guiding him through the complexities of the legacy codebase with paternal patience.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a sweet, green alcoholic drink made with mint and chocolate flavours.
a sweet, mint-flavoured cocktail typically composed of crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and fresh cream.
Simple“She ordered a grasshopper after dinner because she wanted something sweet.”
In context“The bartender garnished the grasshopper with a sprig of fresh mint, highlighting the vibrant green hue of the liqueur.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a special piece used in some versions of chess that must jump over other pieces.
a fairy chess piece that moves along queen lines but must leap over an intervening piece to land on the square immediately beyond.
Simple“In this chess puzzle, the grasshopper can capture the king in two moves.”
In context“The problemist utilized a grasshopper on the h-file to create a unique checkmate pattern that would be impossible with standard pieces.”
From Middle English grashoppere, alteration of earlier grashoppe, from Old English græshoppa (“grasshopper”). Equivalent to grass + hopper. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Gäärshupper, Dutch grashupper, grashipper, German Low German Grashüpper, Gresshüpper, German Grashüpfer, Danish græshoppe, Swedish gräshoppa, Norwegian gresshoppe.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.