cockchafer

[ kok-chey-fer ]

/ ˈkɒkˌtʃeɪ fər /

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noun

any of certain scarab beetles, especially the European species, Melolontha melolontha, which is very destructive to forest trees.

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Origin of cockchafer

1685–95; cock¹ (with reference to its size) + chafer

Words nearby cockchafer

cockatiel, cockatoo, cockatrice, Cockayne, cockboat, cockchafer, Cockcroft, cockcrow, cocked, cocked hat, cocker

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cockchafer in a sentence

The red cups that grew in the moss held as much dew as she wanted, and the cockchafer had taught her how to get honey.
The Olive Fairy Book|Various
A cockchafer buzzed by, a moth flew in his face, the music stopped, and little Jon drew his head in.
The Forsyte Saga, Volume III.|John Galsworthy
Before taking its flight, the cockchafer agitates its wings for some minutes, and inflates its abdomen with air.
The Insect World|Louis Figuier
Certain larv, such as those of the cockchafer, eat away the roots of vegetables, and so destroy the harvests.
The Insect World|Louis Figuier

But the cockchafer steers badly when it flies; it knocks itself at each instant against obstacles it meets with.
The Insect World|Louis Figuier

British Dictionary definitions for cockchafer

cockchafer

/ (ˈkɒkˌtʃeɪfə) /

noun

any of various Old World scarabaeid beetles, esp Melolontha melolontha of Europe, whose larvae feed on crops and grassesAlso called: May beetle, May bug

Word Origin for cockchafer

C18: from cock 1 + chafer

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