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
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
The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.
—
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Their tongues and proboscises are much shorter than a hummingbird's tongue, which can dip down twice the length of its beak.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 28 Feb. 2026
Their long proboscises, like divining rods, gently make inquiries of the stone.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
These powerful proboscises are strong enough to push over 900 pound trees and gentle enough to pick up a tortilla chip without breaking it.
—Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proboscis
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Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Their tongues and proboscises are much shorter than a hummingbird's tongue, which can dip down twice the length of its beak.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 28 Feb. 2026
Their long proboscises, like divining rods, gently make inquiries of the stone.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
These powerful proboscises are strong enough to push over 900 pound trees and gentle enough to pick up a tortilla chip without breaking it.
—Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for proboscis
Cite this Entry
“Proboscis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proboscis. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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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