potato tuberworm

noun

potato tu·​ber·​worm -ˈtü-bər-ˌwərm How to pronounce potato tuberworm (audio)
-ˈtyü-
: a grayish-brown moth (Phthorimaea operculella) whose larva mines the leaves and bores in the stems and tubers of the potato plant and often attacks other solanaceous plants (such as tobacco and tomato)

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of potato tuberworm was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near potato tuberworm

Cite this Entry

“Potato tuberworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potato%20tuberworm. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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