mealworm

American  

[meel-wurm] / ˈmilˌwɜrm /

noun

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

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mealworm British  

/ ˈmiːlˌwɜːm /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of mealworm

First recorded in 1650–60; meal ² + worm

Example Sentences

For jays, the high-quality food was mealworm and the low-quality food was bread, while crows' preferred food was meat and the less preferred option was apple.

From Science Daily • Dec. 6, 2023

They set up vertical insect farms powered by robotics, each yielding several tons of mealworm products a year, and in 2021, the European food safety authority deemed mealworms safe for human consumption.

From Scientific American • Aug. 28, 2023

Up close, the teeth resemble spindly plant roots or mealworm bodies.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2023

Wei-min Wu, a senior researcher at Stanford University who led its mealworm study, said there has been a growing chorus of researchers looking for natural solutions to recycle plastic because of the environmental risks.

From Washington Post • Jun. 17, 2022

Our first concoction included one mealworm, a piece of fern, two sunberries, and pinches of salt and sugar.

From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate