mealybug

noun

mealy·​bug ˈmē-lē-ˌbəg How to pronounce mealybug (audio)
: any of a family (Pseudococcidae) of scale insects that have a white cottony or waxy covering and are destructive pests especially of fruit trees

Examples of mealybug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The most common culprits are mealybugs, teeny insects that suck the sap out of the plant. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2024 Common pests include mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024 Occasionally, mealybugs may make their home in this succulent. Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2024 When bay leaf grows indoors, monitor the plants for mealybugs and spider mites. Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for mealybug 

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mealybug was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Mealybug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mealybug. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

mealybug

noun
mealy·​bug ˈmē-lē-ˌbəg How to pronounce mealybug (audio)
: any of numerous scale insects that have a white cottony or waxy covering and are destructive pests especially of fruit trees

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