This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
Japanese beetle
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
a small beetle, Popillia japonica, of the scarab family, introduced into the eastern U.S. from Japan, the adult of which feeds on the foliage of fruit and other trees, and the larva of which feeds on plant roots.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of Japanese beetle
First recorded in 1915–20
Words nearby Japanese beetle
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use Japanese beetle in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for Japanese beetle
Japanese beetle
noun
a scarabaeid beetle, Popillia japonica, that eats the leaves and fruits of various plants: accidentally introduced into the US from Japan
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