dermestid

noun der·mes·tid \ (ˌ)dər-ˈmes-təd \

Definition of dermestid

: any of a family (Dermestidae) of beetles with clubbed antennae that are very destructive to organic material of animal origin (such as dried meat, wool, or museum specimens)

—

dermestid

adjective

Recent Examples of dermestid from the Web

Then the cleaning crew dries the skulls for a few days before putting them in a colony of dermestid beetles, which will eat off the rest of the fleshy bits.

— National Geographic, "Human Skulls Are Being Sold Online, But Is It Legal?," 23 Aug. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dermestid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.