mouth hook

noun

: one of a pair of hooked larval mouthparts of some dipteran flies that function as jaws

Examples of mouth hook in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The name refers to the way in which maggots screw themselves into the tissue of animals with their sharp mouth hooks, causing extensive damage and often leading to death. Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 12 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mouth hook was in 1935

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Cite this Entry

“Mouth hook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mouth%20hook. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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