noun
gnat
NAT/næt/
A tiny flying insect that often gathers in swarms.
A tiny gnat hovers above the rim of my glass.
Etymology
Old English gnæt already named a small flying insect. The name may originally have meant “biting insect” and may be related to gnaw, suggesting a possible connection with biting rather than swarming.
In context
And even couldst thou have broken through that formidable web, with thy gnat’s wings, thou believest that thou couldst have reached the light?
More examples
- Swarms of gnats gather near the pond at dusk.
- I brush a gnat away from my face.
- Tiny gnats crawl across the soil in my flowerpot.
Forms
gnat · gnats