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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Recent Examples of proboscis
In the center of the contraption, a PVC pipe hung down and curled under itself like a great proboscis.
—
Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
However, its blood-sucking attempts are thwarted because its proboscis — aka its needle-like mouth — could not break through the skin.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 8 Oct. 2024
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sweet trigger caused the simulation to send signals that would extend the proboscis, and the bitter one didn’t.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
That needle-like bite comes from what’s called a proboscis.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for proboscis
Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
However, its blood-sucking attempts are thwarted because its proboscis — aka its needle-like mouth — could not break through the skin.
—Abby Monteil, Them, 8 Oct. 2024
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sweet trigger caused the simulation to send signals that would extend the proboscis, and the bitter one didn’t.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
That needle-like bite comes from what’s called a proboscis.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for proboscis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for proboscis
Noun
-
The resident one-eyed alligator, Pedro, pokes his snout above the glass-smooth bayou to greet her.—
Debbie Elliott,
NPR,
29 Aug. 2025
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Consider the seventeenth-century icon that showed him with, in addition to luxurious robes, human hands, and flowing locks, an unmistakable snout.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The mark of a brilliant director might be counted on how many actors get their moments in smaller roles, and this film is full of them, notably Steve Coulter in for one memorable scene as a seatmate whose nose cold causes consternation for Liz at a dinner party.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
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Children exposed to wildfire smoke may experience chest pain and tightness, breathing difficulties, coughing, and irritation in the nose, throat, and eyes, among other symptoms.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Proboscis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/proboscis. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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