terebra
noun
tere·bra
təˈrēbrə,
ˈterəb-
1
plural terebras
-brəz
or terebrae -ē(ˌ)brē;
-ə(ˌ)brē,
-əˌbrī
: a device used by the ancient Romans for starting a breach in a fortified wall 2
[New Latin, from Latin, borer]
a
plural -s : the boring ovipositor of a hymenopterous insect
b
capitalized : a genus of marine gastropods (suborder Stenoglossa) having a long tapering spire and being the type of a family Terebridae comprising the auger shells
c
-s : auger shell
terebral adjective
təˈrēbrəl
ˈterəb-
Word History
Etymology
Latin, borer, gimlet, from terere to rub, grind + -bra, suffix denoting an instrument