cockchafer
any of certain scarab beetles, especially the European species, Melolontha melolontha, which is very destructive to forest trees.
Origin of cockchafer
1Words Nearby cockchafer
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 | VariousA 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 GalsworthyBefore taking its flight, the cockchafer agitates its wings for some minutes, and inflates its abdomen with air.
The Insect World | Louis FiguierCertain larv, such as those of the cockchafer, eat away the roots of vegetables, and so destroy the harvests.
The Insect World | Louis FiguierBut 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
/ (ˈkɒkˌtʃeɪfə) /
any of various Old World scarabaeid beetles, esp Melolontha melolontha of Europe, whose larvae feed on crops and grasses: Also called: May beetle, May bug
Origin of cockchafer
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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