BORER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does borer mean? 

• BORER (noun)
  The noun BORER has 2 senses:

1. a drill for penetrating rock

2. any of various insects or larvae or mollusks that bore into wood

  Familiarity information: BORER used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BORER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A drill for penetrating rock

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bore bit; borer; rock drill; stone drill

Hypernyms ("borer" is a kind of...):

drill (a tool with a sharp point and cutting edges for making holes in hard materials (usually rotating rapidly or by repeated blows))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "borer"):

cross bit (a rock drill having cruciform cutting edges; used in mining)

star drill (a steel rock drill with a star-shaped point that is used for making holes in stones or masonry; it is operated by hitting the end with a hammer while rotating it between blows)

straight-fluted drill; straight flute (a rock drill with flutes that are straight)

Derivation:

bore (make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any of various insects or larvae or mollusks that bore into wood

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

borer; woodborer

Hypernyms ("borer" is a kind of...):

invertebrate (any animal lacking a backbone or notochord; the term is not used as a scientific classification)

Derivation:

bore (make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool)

 Context examples 

The researchers conducted a broad scan of the corn borer genome among five moth populations and found that two genes correlated with this activity.

(Secrets to climate change adaptation uncovered in the European corn borer moth, National Science Foundation)

The team looked at the European corn borer moth (Ostrinia nubilalis) and pinpointed variation in two circadian clock genes that enable different populations of the moth to adapt their transitions to longer or shorter winters.

(Secrets to climate change adaptation uncovered in the European corn borer moth, National Science Foundation)