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pro·bos·cis

(prō-bŏsĭs, -kĭs)

n. pl. pro·bos·cis·es or pro·bos·ci·des (-bŏsĭ-dēz′)

1. A long flexible snout or trunk, as of an elephant.

2. A slender, tubular organ in the head region of an invertebrate, such as certain insects and worms, usually used for sucking or piercing.

3. A human nose, especially a prominent one.

[Latin, from Greek proboskis : pro-, in front; see PRO-² + boskein, to feed.]

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proboscis

proboscis of a tiger swallowtail butterfly

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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