Proboscis

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Proboscis \Pro*bos"cis\, n.; pl. {Proboscides}. [L. fr. Gr. ?; ?
     before + ? to feed, graze.]
     1. (Zool.) A hollow organ or tube attached to the head, or
        connected with the mouth, of various animals, and
        generally used in taking food or drink; a snout; a trunk.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: The proboscis of an elephant is a flexible muscular
           elongation of the nose. The proboscis of insects is
           usually a chitinous tube formed by the modified
           maxill[ae], or by the labium. See Illusts. of
           {Hemiptera} and {Lepidoptera}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) By extension, applied to various tubelike mouth
        organs of the lower animals that can be everted or
        protruded.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The proboscis of annelids and of mollusks is usually a
           portion of the pharynx that can be everted or
           protruded. That of nemerteans is a special long
           internal organ, not connected with the mouth, and not
           used in feeding, but capable of being protruded from a
           pore in the head. See Illust. in Appendix.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The nose. [Jocose]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Proboscis monkey}. (Zool.) See {Kahau}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  proboscis
       n 1: the human nose (especially when it is large)
       2: a long flexible snout as of an elephant [syn: {trunk}]
       [also: {proboscides} (pl)]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  23 Moby Thesaurus words for "proboscis":
     antlia, beak, beezer, bill, bugle, conk, muffle, muzzle, nares,
     neb, nib, nose, nostrils, nozzle, olfactory organ, pecker,
     rhinarium, rostrum, schnozzle, smeller, snoot, snout, trunk
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  PROBOSCIS, n.  The rudimentary organ of an elephant which serves him
  in place of the knife-and-fork that Evolution has as yet denied him. 
  For purposes of humor it is popularly called a trunk.
      Asked how he knew that an elephant was going on a journey, the
  illustrious Jo. Miller cast a reproachful look upon his tormentor, and
  answered, absently:  "When it is ajar," and threw himself from a high
  promontory into the sea.  Thus perished in his pride the most famous
  humorist of antiquity, leaving to mankind a heritage of woe!  No
  successor worthy of the title has appeared, though Mr. Edward bok, of
  _The Ladies' Home Journal_, is much respected for the purity and
  sweetness of his personal character.