tobacco budworm

noun

: an American noctuid moth (Heliothis virescens synonym Helicoverpa virescens) whose striped and variably colored larva feeds on buds and young leaves especially of tobacco and cotton

Examples of tobacco budworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The moth family in this study feeds on roughly 350 plant species across North and South America, including the tobacco budworm, the corn earworm, and the fall armyworm. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tobacco budworm was in 1918

Dictionary Entries Near tobacco budworm

Cite this Entry

“Tobacco budworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tobacco%20budworm. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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