ENGLISH
REFERENCE

locust

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈɫoʊkəst// UK //lˈəʊkʌst// lo·cust
Definition

n. a type of large grasshopper that lives in groups and eats a lot of plants. When there are too many of them, they can destroy whole fields of crops.

n. a species of grasshopper that lives in swarms and feeds on vegetation. Often used in the plural to describe a destructive mass of these insects that can strip a landscape of its foliage.


SIMPLE

A swarm of locusts flew over the farm.

CONTEXTUAL

The government sent a team of experts to the region to spray the locusts and protect the remaining wheat fields.

COMPLEX

Historical records indicate that a massive locust plague once descended upon the valley, consuming every green leaf and leaving the local population facing a severe food shortage for the following winter.

Last updated June 18, 2026