borer

[ bawr-er, bohr- ]

/ ˈbɔr ər, ˈboʊr- /

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noun

a person or thing that bores or pierces.

Machinery. a tool used for boring; auger.

Zoology.

any of several insects that bore into trees, fruits, etc., especially a beetle that bores into the woody part of plants.
any of various mollusks, worms, etc., that bore into wood, stone, coral, or shells.

a marsipobranch fish, as a hagfish, that bores into other fishes to feed on their flesh.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of borer

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at bore², -er¹

Words nearby borer

boreen, borehole, Borel, Borel-Lebesgue theorem, Borelli, borer, borer bomb, borescope, boresight, boresome, bore to death

How to use borer in a sentence

“But if it gets down to minus 30, and minus 30 used to be very common in the northern part of the state, you’d expect about 90% of emerald ash borers to die.”
What Is Bugging the Planet?|Stephen Starr|August 31, 2021|Ozy
The borer, likely introduced to Michigan in the ’90s from east Asia, is a glossy green beetle that rears its larvae in the inner bark of ash trees.
Does a cold winter mean fewer bugs in the summer?|Philip Kiefer|February 25, 2021|Popular-Science
The emerald ash borer is significantly more tolerant of cold.
Does a cold winter mean fewer bugs in the summer?|Philip Kiefer|February 25, 2021|Popular-Science
So, crouching on the ground, Davi twists the borer into one of the trunks.
We didn’t track hurricanes hundreds of years ago—but trees did|Greta Moran|October 16, 2020|Popular-Science

He was surrounded by armour, treasure, and various implements, including the fire-borer.
Myths of Babylonia and Assyria|Donald A. Mackenzie
The 5⁄8-inch pipe is tapped with the tap borer in the center.
Elements of Plumbing|Samuel Dibble
The rockets were slowly cut; the borer jarred at the bottom of its hole; again the disintegrators droned out.
Astounding Stories, April, 1931|Various
His attention was drawn to the borer, now dimly illuminated by its portable light, which had been secured to the door.
Astounding Stories, April, 1931|Various
He started slowly around the borer, found a long narrow door slightly ajar, and stepped inside.
Astounding Stories, April, 1931|Various

British Dictionary definitions for borer

borer

/ (ˈbɔːrə) /

noun

a machine or hand tool for boring holes

any of various insects, insect larvae, molluscs, or crustaceans that bore into rock or plant material, esp woodSee also woodborer, corn borer, marine borer, rock borer

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

borer

Origin of borer

Words nearby borer

Words related to borer

How to use borer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for borer