Illustration of proboscis
- P proboscis 2
proboscis
noun
pro·bos·cis
prə-ˈbä-səs 
-ˈbä-skəs
-ˈbä-skəs
plural proboscises also proboscides
prə-ˈbä-sə-ˌdēz
1
a
: the trunk of an elephant
also
: any long flexible snout
b
: the human nose especially when prominent
2
: any of various elongated or extensible tubular processes (such as the sucking organ of a butterfly) of the oral region of an invertebrate
Synonyms
Examples of proboscis in a Sentence
if there were a direct relation between mendacity and the length of one's proboscis, hers would be a mile long
Recent Examples on the Web
That needle-like bite comes from what’s called a proboscis.
—
Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sweet trigger caused the simulation to send signals that would extend the proboscis, and the bitter one didn’t.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
However, its blood-sucking attempts are thwarted because its proboscis — aka its needle-like mouth — could not break through the skin.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 8 Oct. 2024
These stimuli triggered the brain to activate the motor neurons that in a real fly would move its proboscis, the insect equivalent of a tongue.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for proboscis 
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Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sweet trigger caused the simulation to send signals that would extend the proboscis, and the bitter one didn’t.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
However, its blood-sucking attempts are thwarted because its proboscis — aka its needle-like mouth — could not break through the skin.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 8 Oct. 2024
These stimuli triggered the brain to activate the motor neurons that in a real fly would move its proboscis, the insect equivalent of a tongue.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for proboscis
Dictionary Entries Near proboscis
Cite this Entry
“Proboscis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proboscis. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
proboscis
noun
pro·bos·cis
prə-ˈbäs-əs
-kəs
-kəs
plural proboscises also proboscides
-ˈbäs-ə-ˌdēz
1
: a long flexible snout
especially
: the trunk of an elephant
2
: a long tube-shaped bodily part (as the sucking organ of a butterfly) in the mouth region of an invertebrate
Medical Definition
proboscis
noun
pro·bos·cis
prə-ˈbäs-əs
-kəs
-kəs
plural proboscises also proboscides
-ˈbäs-ə-ˌdēz
: any of various elongated or extensible tubular organs or processes especially of the oral region of an invertebrate: as
a
: a sucking organ of insects (as houseflies or mosquitoes) that is often also adapted for piercing
b
: one of the complex protrusible holdfasts on the scolex of certain tapeworms
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