Animal names with a little wordplay.
Familiar creatures with compound names.
Ten questions, with the answers explained. Try them in your head, then open each answer when you're ready.
Play this quiz →QUESTION 1 / 10
Join two everyday words: a winged insect whose name sounds like airborne dairy. Which compound fits?
- kingfisher
- ladybird
- catfish
- butterfly
Show answer & explanation+
butterfly
Butter + fly gives butterfly. A butterfly's name is a compound, though the insect has nothing to do with flying butter.
QUESTION 2 / 10
Join two everyday words: an insect named like a mythical beast in flight. Which compound fits?
- starfish
- dragonfly
- blackbird
- earthworm
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dragonfly
Dragon + fly gives dragonfly. Dragonflies are fast-flying insects often seen near water.
QUESTION 3 / 10
Join two everyday words: the British name for a small spotted beetle. Which compound fits?
- rattlesnake
- ladybird
- catfish
- grasshopper
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ladybird
Lady + bird gives ladybird. Ladybird is the British term; ladybug is common in North America.
QUESTION 4 / 10
Join two everyday words: a common name for a star-shaped marine animal. Which compound fits?
- kingfisher
- earthworm
- starfish
- butterfly
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starfish
Star + fish gives starfish. Starfish are also called sea stars and are not fish.
QUESTION 5 / 10
Join two everyday words: a fish named for its whisker-like barbels. Which compound fits?
- blackbird
- catfish
- grasshopper
- dragonfly
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catfish
Cat + fish gives catfish. The barbels help a catfish sense its surroundings.
QUESTION 6 / 10
Join two everyday words: a soil-dwelling animal with a long segmented body. Which compound fits?
- rattlesnake
- ladybird
- kingfisher
- earthworm
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earthworm
Earth + worm gives earthworm. Earthworms burrow through soil.
QUESTION 7 / 10
Join two everyday words: an insect named for leaping through low vegetation. Which compound fits?
- grasshopper
- butterfly
- blackbird
- starfish
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grasshopper
Grass + hopper gives grasshopper. A grasshopper uses its strong back legs to jump.
QUESTION 8 / 10
Join two everyday words: a bird whose name suggests royal fishing duties. Which compound fits?
- kingfisher
- rattlesnake
- catfish
- dragonfly
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kingfisher
King + fisher gives kingfisher. Kingfishers often catch prey with a quick dive.
QUESTION 9 / 10
Join two everyday words: a bird name formed from a color and an animal group. Which compound fits?
- ladybird
- blackbird
- earthworm
- butterfly
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blackbird
Black + bird gives blackbird. Blackbird is a common bird name; the exact species depends on the region.
QUESTION 10 / 10
Join two everyday words: a snake named for its noisy tail. Which compound fits?
- starfish
- rattlesnake
- dragonfly
- grasshopper
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rattlesnake
Rattle + snake gives rattlesnake. A rattlesnake's tail rattle can serve as a warning.