Mandibles

Pronunciation: /ˈmændɪbəlz/

Definitions of mandibles

noun either of a pair of mouthparts in insects and other arthropods that are usually used for biting and crushing food

Example Sentences

A1 Ants use their mandibles to carry food back to their nest.

A2 Bees have mandibles that they use to chew and shape beeswax.

B1 The scientist examined the insect's mandibles under a microscope.

B2 The predator's sharp mandibles allowed it to easily capture its prey.

C1 The entomologist studied the intricate design of the beetle's mandibles.

C2 The surgeon carefully manipulated the patient's mandibles during the delicate procedure.

Examples of mandibles in a Sentence

formal The insect uses its mandibles to grasp and chew its food.

informal Check out the size of that beetle's mandibles!

slang Those mandibles are no joke, they can crush anything in their path.

figurative Her sharp words were like mandibles, cutting through the conversation with precision.

Grammatical Forms of mandibles

• plural: mandibles
• present tense: mandibles
• future tense: will mandible
• perfect tense: have mandibled
• continuous tense: is mandibling
• singular: mandible
• positive degree: more mandible
• infinitive: to mandible
• gerund: mandibling
• participle: mandibled

Origin and Evolution of mandibles

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'mandibles' originated from the Latin word 'mandibula', which means jaw or jawbone.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to the lower jawbone of vertebrates, the term 'mandibles' evolved to specifically denote the pair of jaws in insects and other arthropods that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food.