proboscis

American  

[proh-bos-is, -kis] / proʊˈbɒs ɪs, -kɪs /

noun

plural

proboscises, proboscides

1. the trunk of an elephant.

2. any long flexible snout, as of the tapir.

3. Also called beak.  the elongate, protruding mouth parts of certain insects, adapted for sucking or piercing.

4. any of various elongate feeding, defensive, or sensory organs of the oral region, as in certain leeches and worms.

5. Facetious. the human nose, especially when unusually long or prominent.

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proboscis British  

/ prəʊˈbɒsɪs /

noun

1. a long flexible prehensile trunk or snout, as of an elephant

2. the elongated mouthparts of certain insects, adapted for piercing or sucking food

3. any similar part or organ

4. informal a person's nose, esp if large

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proboscis Scientific  

/ prō-bŏs′ĭs /

plural

proboscises

1. A long, flexible snout or trunk, as of an elephant.

2. The slender, tubular feeding and sucking organ of certain invertebrates, such as butterflies and mosquitoes.

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Etymology

Origin of proboscis

1570–80; < Latin < Greek proboskís elephant's trunk, literally, feeder, equivalent to pro- pro- ² + bósk ( ein ) to feed + -is (stem -id- ) noun suffix

Explanation

Proboscis is the scientific term for certain mammals' noses, especially long and flexible ones such as an elephant's trunk or a tapir's snout. If someone calls your nose a proboscis, they mean you've got a pretty big 'un. Proboscis comes from the Greek word for an elephant's trunk, proboskis, which translates as "means for taking food." Not to get too technical, but flies and other insects also have a proboscis, though if you ever end up on "Jeopardy!" it's worth knowing that they are not in fact true noses but actually part of their mouths. So there.

Example Sentences

She introduces us to the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, an organization whose remit is to raise awareness and support for creatures such as the proboscis monkey and the blobfish.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Environmentalists have warned that as the capital expands, it may spill over into the habitats of endangered species such as proboscis monkeys, orangutans and gibbons.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2024

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

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2024

In a recent study in the journal PNAS, she and her colleagues investigated the sensory information the moths rely on to precisely control their proboscis.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2024

One even had a butterfly proboscis, curled up like a fiddlehead.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor