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mouthpart

American  
[mouth-pahrt] / ˈmaʊθˌpɑrt /

noun

  1. Usually mouthparts. the appendages surrounding or associated with the mouth of arthropods.


mouthpart British  
/ ˈmaʊθˌpɑːt /

noun

  1. any of the paired appendages in arthropods that surround the mouth and are specialized for feeding

"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

mouthpart Scientific  
/ mouthpärt′ /
  1. Any of the parts of the mouth of an insect or other arthropod, especially a part or organ used for a specific way of feeding.


Etymology

Origin of mouthpart

First recorded in 1790–1800; mouth + part

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.

When a mosquito bites you, it pierces the skin using a mouthpart called a proboscis to suck up blood.

From Seattle Times

What's more, the well-preserved insects are two males of the same species with piercing mouthparts, suggesting they likely sucked blood.

From Science Daily

This indicates that the bumblebees' mouthparts do not have mechanisms to detect and avoid common pesticides in nectar.

From Science Daily

Now stunning fossils from China have revealed a pair of large fossil lamprey species with specialized mouthparts to scoop flesh out of their victims, representing the evolution of these animals into impressive predators.

From National Geographic

While in orchids the length of the flower tube closely matches the length of the pollinating insect mouthparts, the island wasp has much shorter mouthparts than the bumblebee that pollinates Goodyera henryi on the mainland.

From Science Daily