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plum curculio

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noun
  1. See under curculio.

Origin of plum curculio

First recorded in 1885–90

curculio

[kur-kyoo-lee-oh]
noun, plural cur·cu·li·os.
  1. any of several weevils, especially one of the genus Conotrachelus, as C. nenuphar (plum curculio), which feeds on plums, cherries, and other fruits.

Origin of curculio

1750–60; < Latin: weevil, corn worm
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for plum curculio

Historical Examples

  • This method will also destroy the plum-curculio in orchards.

    Checking the Waste

    Mary Huston Gregory

  • The plum-curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst) is sometimes a troublesome pest of the peach.

British Dictionary definitions for plum curculio

curculio

noun plural -lios
  1. any of various American weevils, esp Conotrachelus nenuphar (plum curculio), a pest of fruit trees

Word Origin

C18: from Latin: grain weevil
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012