A mosquito is a small flying insect that bites people and animals to drink their blood. Some kinds of mosquitoes can spread serious diseases.
From Spanish *mosquito*, a diminutive of *mosca* “fly,” literally “little fly.” The term traveled into English in the 16th–17th centuries as Europeans encountered tropical regions with many mosquitoes.
Mosquito means “little fly,” but this tiny insect has shaped human history more than many armies have. Diseases carried by mosquitoes have changed the outcomes of wars, ruined building projects, and still kill hundreds of thousands of people every year. They’re a reminder that size doesn’t equal impact.
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