periodical cicadas

A form of periodical cicada — Any of certain species of cicadas, especially in genus Magicicada, which are known for their 17- and 13-year life-cycles, during most of which they develop underground, emerging in large numbers for a short time as large and audible adults, all those emerging in a year constituting a brood.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of periodical cicada
Cite this entry
APA

periodical cicadas. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periodical%20cicadas

MLA

“periodical cicadas.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periodical%20cicadas. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “periodical cicadas,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periodical%20cicadas.

Source: periodical cicadas on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.