deathwatch beetle

noun

: any of various small beetles (family Anobiidae, especially Xestobium rufovillosum) that bore in seasoned or dead wood (as of old buildings) and make a tapping noise as a mating call

Examples of deathwatch beetle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Though there's no deathwatch beetle signaling doom, the idea of a curse still resonates because negative energy and belief in a curse can shape outcomes and influence manifestations. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024 Termites also bored through decks and masts and cabin doors, as did deathwatch beetles. David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deathwatch beetle was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near deathwatch beetle

Cite this Entry

“Deathwatch beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deathwatch%20beetle. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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