weevil

American  

[wee-vuhl] / ˈwi vəl /

noun

1. Also called snout beetle.  any of numerous beetles of the family Curculionidae, which have the head prolonged into a snout and which are destructive to nuts, grain, fruit, etc.

2. any of numerous related beetles.

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weevil British  

/ ˈwiːvɪl /

noun

1. Also called: snout beetle.  any beetle of the family Curculionidae, having an elongated snout (rostrum): they are pests, feeding on plants and plant products See also boll weevil

2. Also called: pea weevil.   bean weevil.  any of various beetles of the family Bruchidae (or Lariidae ), the larvae of which live in the seeds of leguminous plants

3. any of various similar or related beetles

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Other Word Forms

• weevily
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of weevil

before 900; Middle English wevel, Old English wifel; cognate with Old High German wibil beetle; akin to wave

Explanation

A weevil is a type of small beetle with a distinctively long snout. Because some species of weevils are famous for destroying large amounts of crops or stored grains, weevils are usually considered pests. There are thousands of weevil species, nearly all of which feed only on plants. These little insects have caused a lot of trouble over the years. In the early 1900s, cotton fields in the South became infested with nonnative boll weevils, which devour cotton buds and flowers. Over the years, weevils have cost farmers billions of dollars in lost crops — and if you've ever been horrified to find tiny bugs in your rice or flour, they were probably weevils. But many weevil species are beneficial to humans, serving as pollinators and weed control.

Example Sentences

In high school, their common enemy made them not exactly friends, but friendly enough that Weevil helped Veronica when she asked and was around enough to become a fan favorite.

From Salon • Feb. 11, 2025

People in Gosport, Hampshire, first reported sightings of the animal two weeks ago, near Weevil Lane.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2023

As close as they are to eradicating the boll weevil completely, farmers and the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation aren’t in the clear just yet.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2022

I met him in the small town of Enterprise, which proclaims itself to be Home of the Boll Weevil Monument.

From The Guardian • Dec. 13, 2017

It was just possible that Mr. Weevil might catch sight of the name, just as Hibbert had done.

From The Hero of Garside School by Panting, J. Harwood, (James Harwood)