an insect of the order Dictyoptera (or Blattaria )
a pest often found in people's homes
Any of various oval, flat-bodied insects common as household pests. The two most common indoor species of cockroach in North America are the German cockroach ( Blatella germanica) and the American cockroach ( Periplaneta americana).
Cockroaches are insects of the Order Blattodea. The name of the order is derived from Greek for "cockroach," blatta. There are roughly 3,500 species in six families.