A variant spelling of katydid, a large green insect related to crickets and grasshoppers, known for its loud chirping sound.
This is a spelling variant of 'katydid,' itself derived from a folk etymology where the insect's call sounds like 'Katy did, Katy didn't.' The 'cat' spelling is a non-standard variant.
Katydids got their name from the exact rhythm of their chirp—listeners genuinely hear the phrase 'Katy did, Katy didn't' in their song, making it one of the best examples of onomatopoeia driving a creature's entire English name.
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