Stridulates

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To produce a series of rhythmic sounds through the friction of body parts, often referring to insects
2. To create a musical or noise-like effect by rubbing parts of the body together
3. To make a characteristic sound associated with communication or mating rituals among certain animals

Etymology: Stridulates comes from Latin "stridere," meaning "to creak" or "to make a harsh, grating noise," which itself echoes the sound it describes. The verb is formed from the stem "stridul-," a diminutive-style form of that Latin root, and it was adopted into English as a scientific term for sound made by rubbing body parts together. Entomologists and zoologists needed a precise word for the grating calls of crickets, grasshoppers and some other insects, and "stridulate" filled that gap. The sound itself is produced mechanically. Many insects have a file-like ridge on one body part and a scraper on another, and rubbing them together sets up the rasping vibration. Crickets and katydids typically do this with their forewings, while grasshoppers often rub a leg against a wing. The same principle explains why the verb sits so comfortably in discussions of insect courtship, since the sound is usually a call that signals a potential mate or a rival.

Synonyms: chirp, click