collembolan

noun

col·​lem·​bo·​lan kə-ˈlem-bə-lən How to pronounce collembolan (audio)
collembolan adjective
or collembolous

Examples of collembolan 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.
For the most part, the critters eat insects and collembolans, a soft-bodied hexapod. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 16 Mar. 2017

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from coll- + Greek embolos wedge, stopper — more at embolus

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of collembolan was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near collembolan

Cite this Entry

“Collembolan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collembolan. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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