Cricket (kr?k?t), n. [OE. criket, OF. crequet, criquet; prob. of German origin, and akin to E. creak; cf. D. kriek a cricket. See Creak.] (Zoöl.) An orthopterous insect of the genus Gryllus, and allied genera. The males make chirping, musical notes by rubbing together the basal parts of the veins of the front wings.
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&hand_; The common European cricket is Gryllus domesticus; the common large black crickets of America are Gryllus niger, Gryllus neglectus, and others.
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Balm cricket. See under Balm. -- Cricket bird, a small European bird (Silvia locustella); -- called also grasshopper warbler. -- Cricket frog, a small American tree frog (Acris gryllus); -- so called from its chirping.
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Cricket, v. i. To play at cricket. Tennyson.
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