phylloxera
noun
phyl·lox·e·ra
ˌfi-ˌläk-ˈsir-ə 
fə-ˈläk-sə-rə
fə-ˈläk-sə-rə
: any of several plant lice (family Phylloxeridae)
especially
: one (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae synonym Viteus vitifoliae) originally of North America but introduced into Europe and elsewhere that produces galls on the leaves and roots of grape vines and is a serious pest especially of vinifera grapes in wine-producing regions
Examples of phylloxera in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But when phylloxera hit France and winemakers from Bordeaux headed south to Rioja to make wine the focus shifted from making white to red specifically for the export market.
—
Mike Desimone,
Robb Report,
26 June 2026
Rootstocks currently used across global viticulture were developed more than a century ago, in the wake of the phylloxera crisis.
—
Emily Cappiello,
Forbes.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Before that, the Russian Empire’s ineffective tackling of grape phylloxera – an aphid-like pest which feeds on grapevine roots – caused great loss in Ukraine, as elsewhere in 19th-century Europe.
—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
17 Nov. 2025
The phylloxera wasn’t centralized, which made controlling its spread complicated.
—
Charlotte Oliver,
The Conversation,
24 Sep. 2025
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Mike Desimone,
Robb Report,
26 June 2026
Rootstocks currently used across global viticulture were developed more than a century ago, in the wake of the phylloxera crisis.
—
Emily Cappiello,
Forbes.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Before that, the Russian Empire’s ineffective tackling of grape phylloxera – an aphid-like pest which feeds on grapevine roots – caused great loss in Ukraine, as elsewhere in 19th-century Europe.
—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
17 Nov. 2025
The phylloxera wasn’t centralized, which made controlling its spread complicated.
—
Charlotte Oliver,
The Conversation,
24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for phylloxera
Cite this Entry
“Phylloxera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phylloxera. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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