mealworm

[ meel-wurm ]

/ ˈmilˌwɜrm /

noun

the larva of any of several darkling beetles of the genus Tenebrio, which infests granaries and is used as food for birds and animals.

Words nearby mealworm

mealie meal, mealie pap, mealies, meals on wheels, mealtime, mealworm, mealy, mealy bug, mealy-mouthed, mealybug, mean

Origin of mealworm

First recorded in 1650–60; meal² + worm

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for mealworm

mealworm

/ (ˈmiːlˌwɜːm) /

noun

the larva of various beetles of the genus Tenebrio, esp T. molitor, feeding on meal, flour, and similar stored foods: family Tenebrionidae

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