proboscis

noun
UK: /prəˈbɒsɪs/
US: /proʊˈbɑːsɪs/

  1. The long nose of an insect.

    1. The butterfly uses its proboscis to drink nectar.
    2. The insect extended its proboscis, searching for a place to feed from the flower.

  2. A long, flexible snout, like the trunk of an elephant.

    1. The elephant uses its proboscis to pick up food.
    2. With its sensitive proboscis, the elephant detected water from a great distance.

  3. A long, protruding mouth or feeding tube in certain animals.

    1. The worm uses its proboscis to burrow in the sand.
    2. The marine animal extended its proboscis, seeking nutrients on the ocean floor.

Synonyms

trunk snout
proboscis verb

  1. To provide with or develop a proboscis.

    1. Some insects are proboscised for feeding.
    2. The scientist studied how certain creatures proboscis themselves to adapt to environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "proboscis" in English means: The long nose of an insect., A long, flexible snout, like the trunk of an elephant., A long, protruding mouth or feeding tube in certain animals..

The phonetic transcription of "proboscis" is /prəˈbɒsɪs/ in British English and /proʊˈbɑːsɪs/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "proboscis": trunk, snout.

Example usage of "proboscis": "The butterfly uses its proboscis to drink nectar.". More examples on the page.