beetle.
Any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of hard, shell-like front wings which cover and protect a pair of rear wings when at rest.
Meaning & usage
Any of numerous species of insect in the order Coleoptera characterized by a pair of hard, shell-like front wings which cover and protect a pair of rear wings when at rest.
A game of chance in which players attempt to complete a drawing of a beetle, different dice rolls allowing them to add the various body parts.
Alternative letter-case form of Beetle (“car”).
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *bitilô, *bītilaz Proto-West Germanic *bitilō, *bītil Old English bitula, bitela, bītel Middle English bitle, bitel, bityl, bytylle English beetle From Middle English bitle, bityl, bytylle, from Old English bitula, bitela, bītel (“beetle”), from Proto-West Germanic *bitilō, *bītil, from Proto-Germanic *bitilô, *bītilaz (“that which tends to bite, biter, beetle”), equivalent to bite + -le. Cognate with Old High German bicco (“beetle”), Danish bille (“beetle”), Icelandic bitil, bitul (“a bite, bit”), Faroese bitil (“small piece, bittock”).
To move (away) quickly, to scurry away.
He beetled off on his vacation.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *bitilô, *bītilaz Proto-West Germanic *bitilō, *bītil Old English bitula, bitela, bītel Middle English bitle, bitel, bityl, bytylle English beetle From Middle English bitle, bityl, bytylle, from Old English bitula, bitela, bītel (“beetle”), from Proto-West Germanic *bitilō, *bītil, from Proto-Germanic *bitilô, *bītilaz (“that which tends to bite, biter, beetle”), equivalent to bite + -le. Cognate with Old High German bicco (“beetle”), Danish bille (“beetle”), Icelandic bitil, bitul (“a bite, bit”), Faroese bitil (“small piece, bittock”).
Protruding, jutting, overhanging.
beetle brows
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Middle English bitel? Proto-Indo-European *h₃bʰrúHsder. Proto-Germanic *brūwō Proto-West Germanic *brūu Old English brū Middle English brouwe Old English -ed Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Germanic *-ōdaz Old English -od Middle English -ed Middle English brouwed Middle English bitel-brouwed English beetle From Middle English bitel-brouwed (“beetle-browed”). Possibly after beetle, from the fact that some beetles have bushy antennae.
To loom over; to extend or jut (above).
The heavy chimney beetled over the thatched roof.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Middle English bitel? Proto-Indo-European *h₃bʰrúHsder. Proto-Germanic *brūwō Proto-West Germanic *brūu Old English brū Middle English brouwe Old English -ed Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Germanic *-ōdaz Old English -od Middle English -ed Middle English brouwed Middle English bitel-brouwed English beetle From Middle English bitel-brouwed (“beetle-browed”). Possibly after beetle, from the fact that some beetles have bushy antennae.
A type of mallet with a large wooden head, used to drive wedges, beat pavements, etc.
A machine in which fabrics are subjected to a hammering process while passing over rollers, as in cotton mills; a beetling machine.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.? Proto-Germanic *bautaną Proto-Indo-European *-lósder.? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-tromder.? Proto-Germanic *-ilaz Proto-Germanic *bautilaz Proto-West Germanic *bautil Old English bīetelder. Old English bȳtel Middle English betel English beetle From Middle English betel, from Old English bȳtel, bīetel (“hammer”), from Proto-West Germanic *bautil (“hammer, mallet”), equivalent to beat + -le. Cognate with Low German Bötel (“mallet”).
To beat with a heavy mallet.
To finish by subjecting to a hammering process in a beetle or beetling machine.
to beetle cotton goods
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.? Proto-Germanic *bautaną Proto-Indo-European *-lósder.? Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-tromder.? Proto-Germanic *-ilaz Proto-Germanic *bautilaz Proto-West Germanic *bautil Old English bīetelder. Old English bȳtel Middle English betel English beetle From Middle English betel, from Old English bȳtel, bīetel (“hammer”), from Proto-West Germanic *bautil (“hammer, mallet”), equivalent to beat + -le. Cognate with Low German Bötel (“mallet”).
Obsolete spelling of betel.
Where this word comes from
Borrowed from Portuguese bétele, from Malayalam വെറ്റില (veṟṟila) or Tamil வெற்றிலை (veṟṟilai).
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Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.