: excavating galleries in wood in feeding or in constructing a nest
used chiefly of an insect

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wood-boring was in 1815

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Cite this Entry

“Wood-boring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wood-boring. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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