What does proboscis mean?
Word: Proboscis
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Proboscis means the long, bendy nose of an elephant, or the long tube-like mouthpart a butterfly feeds through.
How do you spell proboscis?
Syllables: pro - bos - cis
Tricky part: The s sound near the end is spelt with two letters, and pupils hear only one of them.
Watch out for: probosis, probossis, proboscus
Memory tip: The Soft Curl of a butterfly's feeding tube gives you the s and c that sit together near the end.
Proboscis in a sentence
Example 1: Our science book has a close-up of a hawk moth's curled proboscis.
Example 2: A mother elephant used her proboscis to guide the calf across the stream.
Example 3: Under the hand lens we could see the fine proboscis of a housefly.
Fun Fact
Borneo's proboscis monkey takes its name from the male's very long nose.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. metamorfosis 2. antena 3. proboscis 4. exoskelaton
a) the hard outer covering of an insect
b) a thin feeler on an insect's head
c) a long organ on an animal's face for reaching food
d) a change of form from one life stage to another
Show answer
c) a long organ on an animal's face for reaching food. Proboscis needs no change; antenna, exoskeleton and metamorphosis are the proper forms.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
pr_b_scis
a) a, o
b) o, o
c) e, o
d) o, a
Show answer
b) o, o. The word opens with pro, and the stressed vowel is the one in boss.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
probboscis
a) r
b) b
c) c
d) p
Show answer
b) b. A single b is all this word needs.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The butterfly unrolled its iobpscosr to reach the nectar deep inside the flower.
a) plumage
b) pigment
c) proboscis
d) propeller
Show answer
c) proboscis. The jumble has a b and a c, and no e, g or l, so only one word fits it.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A butterfly's proboscis does a job most like which everyday object?
a) a wooden ruler
b) a drinking straw
c) a paper clip
d) a folding umbrella
Show answer
b) a drinking straw
2. An elephant's proboscis is better known by which everyday name?
a) tusk
b) hide
c) trunk
d) mane
Show answer
c) trunk
