Spanish word

luciérnaga

Pronunciation

IPA/luˈθjeɾnaɣa/

Meaning

  • feminine nounfirefly

Example

Por la noche, una luciérnaga ilumina el sendero.

At night, a firefly lights the path.

Illustration for luciérnaga (firefly)

More examples

Los niños se divirtieron atrapando luciérnagas al atardecer.

The children enjoyed catching fireflies at dusk.

Core concept

Insect that flashes light to communicate and attract mates.

Common phrases

  • resplandor de luciérnagas

    glow of fireflies

  • atrapar luciérnagas

    catching fireflies

  • luciérnagas en verano

    summer fireflies

Similar words

insecto: Six-legged invertebrate with head, thorax, and abdomen, the broad biological group of insects.
bicho: Small bug or tiny creature, casual and colloquial for various little animals.

Definition in Spanish

Insecto nocturno que produce luz en el abdomen mediante reacciones químicas (bioluminiscencia) para comunicarse y atraer pareja, y que suele verse como pequeños puntos luminosos en la oscuridad.

Word origin

From Latin lucēre 'to shine', with Romance formation adding a suffix so the word names an organism that emits light.

Usage tips

  • Spanish often reports sightings with impersonal constructions, for example se ven luciérnagas por la noche.

Word lists with this word