bollworm

American

[bohl-wurm] / ˈboʊlˌwɜrm /

noun

bollworm British

/ ˈbəʊlˌwɜːm /

noun

any of various moth caterpillars, such as Pectinophora (or Platyedra ) gossypiella ( pink bollworm ), that feed on and destroy cotton bolls

"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

Etymology

Origin of bollworm

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; boll + worm

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But existing experimental permits already enable researchers to grow more than enough engineered Camelina to meet the current worldwide demand for pheromone control of diamondback moths and cotton bollworms, says Agenor Mafra-Neto, CEO of ISCA.

From Science Magazine

Department of Agriculture is seeking to enlist such techniques to eradicate an invasive diamondback moth in New York, which eats vegetable crops, and a cotton-munching pink bollworm in Arizona.

From Seattle Times

Kansas cotton is affected by bollworm, cotton fleahopper and the tarnished plant bug.

From Washington Times

Initially GM cotton, which confers resistance to bollworm pests, helped farmers decrease pesticide sprays.

From Salon

This gene causes the plant to make proteins that protect the crop from devastating bollworm caterpillars.

From Nature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023