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cockchafer

Syllabification: (cock·chaf·er)
Pronunciation: /ˈkäkˌCHāfər/

Definition of cockchafer

noun

  • a large brown European beetle that flies at dusk and often crashes into lighted windows. The adults are damaging to foliage and flowers, and the larvae are a pest of cereal and grass roots.
    • Melolontha melolontha, family Scarabaeidae

Origin:

early 18th century: from cock1 (expressing size or vigor) + chafer

cockchafer in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of cockchafer in the British & World English dictionary