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Glite Dictionary
tumblebug

tumblebug

9.9
A beetle that rolls balls of animal dung to eat or lay eggs
  • noun
  • /ˈtʌmbəlˌbʌg/
  • US
translation icon : escarabajo pelotero
  • The tumblebug rolled a large ball of dung across the dusty path.

Examples

  • The tumblebug rolled a ball of dung across the ground.

  • Farmers appreciate the work of the tumblebug in keeping their fields clean.

  • Children watched as a pair of tumblebugs struggled with their prize.

  • Have you ever seen a tumblebug in your garden?

  • The tumblebug rolled a large ball of dung to its burrow for food.

  • Children watched as a tumblebug expertly maneuvered a ball of dung across the ground.

  • Farmers appreciate how the tumblebug helps enrich the soil with its dung balls.

Synonyms

dung beetle
vstumblebug
3 4.4

A beetle that eats animal dung, rolls it into balls, and lays eggs in them

is a type that specifically rolls balls for food or breeding
dorbeetle
vstumblebug
  • Archaic
9.9

A beetle that lives on animal dung and flies with a loud humming sound

is the type that rolls balls for feeding and breeding rather than flying loudly

Surface Forms

tumblebug singular
tumblebugs plural

Morphology

tumblebug = tumble + bug (transparent) = tumble + bug

A straightforward compound: 'tumble' + 'bug' denotes an insect known for rolling/tumbling dung, so learners who know the components can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Tumblebug comes from the simple words tumble ('to roll') and bug ('insect'), so the name shows an insect that rolls things. That's why a tumblebug is a dung beetle famous for rolling balls of dung.