hellgrammite

noun

hell·​gram·​mite ˈhel-grə-ˌmīt How to pronounce hellgrammite (audio)
: a carnivorous aquatic North American insect larva that is the young form of a dobsonfly (especially Corydalis cornutus) and is used for fish bait

Examples of hellgrammite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That’s partially because its jigging action is hard for bass to resist, but also because by changing colors and sizes, a Clouser can be used to imitate anything from a shad to a crawfish to a hellgrammite and can be fished at any depth. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 22 June 2023 With rubber legs galore, a squirrel tail wing and a squishy chenille body, the bream killer looks like the love child between a hellgrammite and a tarantula. T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 12 Mar. 2020 The lure may imitate a hellgrammite or a crawfish, or perhaps a small baitfish feeding head down. Frank Sargeant, al, 1 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hellgrammite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellgrammite was in 1866

Dictionary Entries Near hellgrammite

Cite this Entry

“Hellgrammite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellgrammite. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hellgrammite

noun
hell·​gram·​mite ˈhel-grə-ˌmīt How to pronounce hellgrammite (audio)
: the larva of a dobsonfly that lives in water and is much used as fish bait

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