weevil
|weev/il|
B2
/ˈwiːvəl/
small snout beetle (crop pest)
Etymology
Etymology Information
'weevil' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'wifel' (also spelled 'wīfel'), where the root meant 'small insect, borer'.
Historical Evolution
'weevil' changed from Old English 'wifel' to Middle English forms like 'wevel'/'wewel' and eventually became the modern English word 'weevil'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'a small insect or borer', but over time it evolved into the current meaning of a specific group of snout beetles (family Curculionidae), often crop pests.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small beetle of the family Curculionidae (snout beetles), many species of which are pests of crops or stored products.
We found several weevils in the bag of rice.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/08 23:35