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dung beetle

American

noun

any of various scarab beetles that feed on or breed in dung.

dung beetle British

noun

any of the various beetles of the family Scarabaeidae and related families that feed on or breed in dung

"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 dung beetle

First recorded in 1625–35

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.

And when describing her underachieving brother’s shortcomings, she says, “He’s got the brains of a dung beetle and the ambitions of a French bureaucrat.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

The dung beetle, which disperses seeds as it rolls its dung balls, fertilizing topsoil and enhancing biodiversity and engineering its environment, normally orients itself using the Milky Way and the moon.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2025

In addition to the newly designated butterflies, Sauron has a namesake dinosaur, a dung beetle and a frog, according to the Natural History Museum.

From New York Times • May 8, 2023

The villain's glowing eye has also been referenced in the names of a dung beetle, a frog and a dinosaur.

From BBC • May 6, 2023

“Dung beetle! Dung beetle! Smelly old dung beetle sleeping in the dung.”

From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman

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