بَعُوضَة
baʕūḍafeminine
The Arabic word for mosquito is بَعُوضَة (baʕūḍa). Wiktionary also lists نَامُوسَة (nāmūsa) and برْغش (barḡaš).
Meaning: small flying insect of the family Culicidae, known for biting and sucking blood (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بَعُوضَة | baʕūḍa | feminine |
| نَامُوسَة | nāmūsa | feminine |
| برْغش | barḡaš | masculine |
The term refers to the small flying insect of the family Culicidae known for biting and sucking blood.
Which one should you use?
بَعُوضَة is the standard term used in scientific contexts, while نَامُوسَة and برْغش are used in spoken conversation. برْغش can refer specifically to mosquitoes or to smaller biting flies like gnats.
Is it said differently in some regions?
نَامُوسَة is the most common term in many spoken dialects, particularly in Egypt and the Levant. برْغش is used in certain North African and Levantine dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The broken plural of the formal term بَعُوضَة is بَعُوض.
How do you pronounce it?
baʕūḍa
Did you know?
- The word نَامُوس is a linguistic coincidence where the same word can mean both a blood-sucking insect and 'divine law' or 'the secret' in mystical traditions.
- The formal term بَعُوضَة is derived from a root meaning 'to be swollen'. This refers to the way the insect's abdomen expands after it sucks blood.
- In many Arabic dialects, if someone is being a nuisance or 'buzzing' around your business, you might use the imagery of a نَامُوسَة to describe them.
Examples in context
- هذِهِ بَعُوضَة كَبِيرَة.hadhihi ba'oodah kabeerah.This is a large mosquito.
- هَلْ رَأَيْتَ بَعُوضَة فِي الغُرْفَة؟hal ra'ayta ba'oodah fil ghurfah?Did you see a mosquito in the room?
- بَعُوضَة وَاحِدَة لَدَغَتْنِي فِي يَدِي.ba'oodah wahidah ladaghatni fi yadi.One mosquito bit me on my hand.
Example conversation
Nour and Ahmed are sitting in a garden at dusk.
- نور Nourأَشْعُرُ بِالْحِكَّةِ بِسَبَبِ بَعُوضَة.ash'uru bil-hikka bisabab ba'oodah.I feel itchy because of a mosquito.
- أحمد Ahmedهَلْ لَدَغَتْكِ بَعُوضَة يَا نُور؟hal ladaghtiki ba'oodah ya Nour?Did a mosquito bite you, Nour?
- نور Nourنَعَمْ، هِيَ مُزْعِجَةٌ جِدًّا.na'am, hiya muz'ijah jiddan.Yes, it is very annoying.
- أحمد Ahmedسَأُحَاوِلُ طَرْدَهَا عَنْكِ.sa-uhawilu tardaha 'anki.I will try to drive it away from you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mosquito” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
