weevil
noun
wee·vil
| \ ˈwē-vəl
\
\
Definition of weevil
: any of a superfamily (Curculionoidea) of beetles which have the head prolonged into a more or less distinct snout and which include many that are destructive especially as larvae to nuts, fruit, and grain or to living plants
especially
: any of a family (Curculionidae) having a well-developed snout curved downward with the jaws at the tip and clubbed usually elbowed antennae
Illustration of weevil
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Other Words from weevil
weevily
or weevilly \ ˈwēv-lē
, ˈwē-və-lē \
adjective
, ˈwē-və-lē \
adjective
Examples of weevil in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Weevil wonders As their name suggests, jewel weevils are living gems. — Jason Bittel, National Geographic, "Dazzling new mimic beetles found, may already be under threat," 1 Aug. 2019 That’s because Nevis’s mango trees, for all their wonders, can be affected by the mango seed weevil. — Naomi Tomky, Fortune, "This Tiny Caribbean Island Grows 44 Kinds of Mangoes," 28 July 2019 Then in the 20th century came the boil weevil, followed by mechanization. — William Thornton | [email protected], al.com, "Cotton, once king in Alabama, still rules on these family farms," 14 July 2019 Five hundred and seventeen maize weevils were found embedded in a Japanese pot from the late Jomon Period, and 527 millipedes were found trapped in Burmese amber from the Cretaceous. — Rafil Kroll-zaidi, Harper's magazine, "Findings," 10 Mar. 2019 That weevil lived alongside the dinosaurs; its death may even have occurred in the presence of brachiosaurus, which once ambled around the same forestland. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "Jurassic Park’s Unlikely Symbiosis With Real-World Science," 15 June 2018 The weevil's spots consist of circular scales of chitin, neatly arranged into concentric rings of varying hues like a rainbow: blue in the center, all the way out to red at the edges. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "“Rainbow” weevil could hold the secret to generating nature’s colors in the lab," 23 Sep. 2018 The rainbow weevil appears to use a similar mechanism to the squid, cuttlefish, and octopus. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "“Rainbow” weevil could hold the secret to generating nature’s colors in the lab," 23 Sep. 2018 These types actually combat a variety of pest species, including weevils, clearwing borers, cutworms, sod webworms, chinch bugs, and white grubs. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "What Are Nematodes? These Tiny Parasites Can Help — Or Hurt — Your Garden," 1 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'weevil.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for weevil
weevil
noun
English Language Learners Definition of weevil
: a small insect that eats grains and seeds and that can ruin crops
See the full definition for weevil in the English Language Learners Dictionary
weevil
noun
wee·vil
| \ ˈwē-vəl
\
\
Kids Definition of weevil
: a small beetle that has a long snout and often feeds on and is harmful to plants or plant products (as nuts, fruit, and grain)
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