proboscis

American  

[proh-bos-is, -kis] / proʊˈbɒs ɪs, -kɪs /

noun

proboscises, plural proboscides plural

1. the trunk of an elephant.

2. any long flexible snout, as of the tapir.

3. Also called beak.  the elongate, protruding mouth parts of certain insects, adapted for sucking or piercing.

4. any of various elongate feeding, defensive, or sensory organs of the oral region, as in certain leeches and worms.

5. Facetious. the human nose, especially when unusually long or prominent.

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proboscis British  

/ prəʊˈbɒsɪs /

noun

1. a long flexible prehensile trunk or snout, as of an elephant

2. the elongated mouthparts of certain insects, adapted for piercing or sucking food

3. any similar part or organ

4. informal a person's nose, esp if large

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proboscis Scientific  

/ prō-bŏs′ĭs /

proboscises plural

1. A long, flexible snout or trunk, as of an elephant.

2. The slender, tubular feeding and sucking organ of certain invertebrates, such as butterflies and mosquitoes.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• proboscides
  plural
• proboscises
  plural

Etymology

Origin of proboscis

1570–80; < Latin < Greek proboskís elephant's trunk, literally, feeder, equivalent to pro- pro- ² + bósk ( ein ) to feed + -is (stem -id- ) noun suffix

Explanation

Proboscis is the scientific term for certain mammals' noses, especially long and flexible ones such as an elephant's trunk or a tapir's snout. If someone calls your nose a proboscis, they mean you've got a pretty big 'un. Proboscis comes from the Greek word for an elephant's trunk, proboskis, which translates as "means for taking food." Not to get too technical, but flies and other insects also have a proboscis, though if you ever end up on "Jeopardy!" it's worth knowing that they are not in fact true noses but actually part of their mouths. So there.

Example Sentences

From either side of the Proboscis, within the mouth, grew two other small horns, or fingers, KK, which were hairy, but small in this Schem.

From Micrographia Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses with Observations and Inquiries Thereupon by Hooke, Robert

Proboscis not marked off from main body; body flat; both surfaces striated Genus *Loxophyllum 2. a.

From Marine Protozoa from Woods Hole Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 21:415-468, 1901 by Calkins, Gary N. (Gary Nathan)

Proboscis free, not supported from below by either the prosternum or the basal segments of the appendages of the 2nd pair.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 "Apollodorus" to "Aral" by Various

Proboscis, prō-bos′is, n. the trunk of some animals, as the elephant, for conveying food to the mouth: anything like a trunk:—pl.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Highly magnified. a, Proboscis; b, bulla; c, neck; d, trunk; e, e, lemnisci.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg