mealworm

noun meal·worm \ -ˌwərm \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Definition of mealworm

: the larva of a darkling beetle (especially genus Tenebrio) that infests grain products but is often raised as food for insectivorous animals, for laboratory use, or as fishing bait

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Recent Examples of mealworm from the Web

Highlights include bug collecting, interactive insect arts and crafts, along with cooked mealworm larvae in various flavors including mesquite, teriyaki and barbecue.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Vista Boys & Girls Club gala raises $85K ...community news," 11 July 2018
But will people accept bug burgers and Neatballs that include ground mealworms?

— refinery29.com, "IKEA’s Kitchen Is Testing A Special New Ingredient: Mealworms," 18 Mar. 2018
Other researchers had already found that mealworms can digest a particular plastic called polystyrene.

— The Economist, "Another way to recycle plastic," 24 May 2018
Eisner now brushed synthetic gyrinidal produced by Dr. Meinwald onto mealworms and fed them to largemouth bass.

— kenneth chang, BostonGlobe.com, "Jerrold Meinwald, 91, dies; studied creatures’ chemical signals," 16 May 2018
The Center City store carries everything from whole roasted mealworms to peanut-butter-and-chocolate cricket protein bars to mealworm coconut brittle to insect protein powder.

— grace dickinson, Philly.com, "Beyond bugs: 12 unique (and strange) ingredients at Mom's Organic Market and what to do with them," 16 May 2018
Towers of plastic trays containing millions of squiggling mealworms move along an assembly line, entirely controlled by robots.

— vivienne walt, Fortune, "How Insects Might Help Solve the Looming Global Food Crisis," 25 Mar. 2018
Then, the Neatball is a version of Ikea's famous meatball made in two variations: mealworm and vegetable.

— suzannah weiss, Teen Vogue, "Ikea Space10 Lab Announces "Fast Food of the Future" Including Algae Hot Dogs and Mealworm Burgers," 13 Mar. 2018
The burger is made with tasty beetroot, parsnip, and potatoes, but then is loaded with mealworms (a.k.a beetle larvae).

— shannon barbour, Cosmopolitan, "IKEA Has Gone Too Far With Its New Bug-Filled Food Options," 13 Mar. 2018

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