bollworm
noun
boll·worm
ˈbōl-ˌwərm 
: corn earworm
also
: any of several other moths that feed on cotton bolls as larvae
Examples of bollworm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The crop, produced by U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto, is genetically modified to produce a toxin that kills the bollworm, which has wreaked havoc on cotton crops.
—
Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2010
In Burkina Faso, a country in western Africa famed for its high-quality cotton, companies introduced Bt cotton in 2008 after being devastated by bollworm pests.
—Amanda Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2021
For every one wild pink bollworm, Tabashnik said researchers needed to release 200 sterile moths, which would not have been logistically practical unless the pink bollworm population hadn't already been diminished.
—Amanda Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2021
These bollworms had been genetically modified to carry a fluorescent protein, which marked them as the company’s.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2017
That's been successful in suppressing the screw-worm fly, Mexican fruit fly, a cotton bollworm and some other pests.
—CBS News, 29 May 2017
That’s been successful in suppressing the screw-worm fly, Mexican fruit fly, a cotton bollworm and some other pests.
—Washington Post, 29 May 2017
That 25 percent enabled enough Bt-vulnerable pink bollworms to survive that the spread of resistance was halted.
—Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, 13 May 2017
Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2010
In Burkina Faso, a country in western Africa famed for its high-quality cotton, companies introduced Bt cotton in 2008 after being devastated by bollworm pests.
—Amanda Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2021
For every one wild pink bollworm, Tabashnik said researchers needed to release 200 sterile moths, which would not have been logistically practical unless the pink bollworm population hadn't already been diminished.
—Amanda Morris, The Arizona Republic, 29 Apr. 2021
These bollworms had been genetically modified to carry a fluorescent protein, which marked them as the company’s.
—Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2017
That's been successful in suppressing the screw-worm fly, Mexican fruit fly, a cotton bollworm and some other pests.
—CBS News, 29 May 2017
That’s been successful in suppressing the screw-worm fly, Mexican fruit fly, a cotton bollworm and some other pests.
—Washington Post, 29 May 2017
That 25 percent enabled enough Bt-vulnerable pink bollworms to survive that the spread of resistance was halted.
—Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, 13 May 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bollworm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1843, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing bollworm
Dictionary Entries Near bollworm
Cite this Entry
“Bollworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bollworm. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bollworm
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