Definition of proboscisnext
as in snout
the part of the face bearing the nostrils and nasal cavity if there were a direct relation between mendacity and the length of one's proboscis, hers would be a mile long

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of proboscis These powerful proboscises are strong enough to push over 900 pound trees and gentle enough to pick up a tortilla chip without breaking it. Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2026 Next, the soft protective outer sheath of each insect's proboscis was detached and discarded. New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2025 Well, then it’s being stolen right out from under its retracting proboscis, which is actually just another drooling head that lives in its mouth. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 Based on this, the researchers estimate that the proboscis may have first evolved between 260 and 244 million years ago, right after the mass extinction. Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for proboscis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proboscis
Noun
  • Photos of the coyote taken from a distance show a large growth extending from the left eye to the end of Wendy’s snout.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Crocodiles have a long, pointed snout, while alligators' are wider and rounded at the end.
    Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Cignetti did not talk about the cut across quarterback Josh Hoover's nose.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Photos from Reuters after the crash showed the aircraft with its nose on the ground and tail tilted up.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Proboscis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proboscis. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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