frass

noun

: debris or excrement produced by insects

Examples of frass 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.
Borer holes may be surrounded by piles of orange or green frass, as shown in the photo above. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2024 At ground level, beetles have moved in, eating away at the trunks and leaving behind sawdust-like piles of frass. Ellyn Lapointe, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024 Damage includes round or ragged feeding holes and deposits of wet, green or brownish frass. Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 27 July 2024 The region was in the midst of a gnarly spongy-moth infestation; caterpillars were gobbling up oak leaves at a horrifying rate, showering the landscape with frass. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for frass 

Word History

Etymology

German, insect damage, literally, eating away, from Old High German vrāz food, from frezzan to devour — more at fret

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of frass was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near frass

Cite this Entry

“Frass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frass. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!