---
title: proboscis — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «proboscis» in the school dictionary: A proboscis is a long, bendy nose or snout, like an elephant's trunk or a tapir's snout. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/proboscis/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/) / proboscis

# proboscis

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** proboscis, mosquito, trunk, proboscis monkey, bee · **What happens:** be, use, suck up, uncurl, drink, bite · **To what, where:** long bendy nose, long like mouthpart, food, nectar, kind, enormous nose

<!-- .vabout -->
«proboscis» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [proboscis in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/proboscis.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A proboscis is a long, bendy nose or snout, like an elephant's trunk or a tapir's snout.

<!-- fold The tree, 19 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:m1:1
# text = A proboscis is a long, bendy nose or snout, like an elephant's trunk or a tapir's snout.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
7	bendy	bendy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	nose	nose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	snout	snout	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
12	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
13	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	's	's	PART	POS	_	14	case	_	_
16	trunk	trunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	parataxis	_	_
17	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	tapir	tapir	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	's	's	PART	POS	_	19	case	_	_
21	snout	snout	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a proboscis | a long bendy nose or snout |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A proboscis is also the long, tube-like mouthpart of some insects, like butterflies and mosquitoes, used for sucking up food.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:m2:1
# text = A proboscis is also the long, tube-like mouthpart of some insects, like butterflies and mosquitoes, used for sucking up food.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	cop	_	_
4	also	also	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
6	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
8	tube	tube	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	like	like	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	mouthpart	mouthpart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
12	of	of	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
13	some	some	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	14	det	_	_
14	insects	insect	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
16	like	like	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	butterflies	butterfly	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	mosquitoes	mosquito	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	14	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	21	punct	_	_
21	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	11	parataxis	_	_
22	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	23	mark	_	_
23	sucking	suck	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	21	advcl	_	_
24	up	up	ADP	RP	_	23	compound:prt	_	_
25	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	23	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a proboscis | the long like mouthpart |  |  |  | of some insects and butterflies and mosquitoes | tree rules |
| 2 | **use** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **suck up** | gerund |  | food |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent food=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The butterfly uncurled its proboscis to drink nectar.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:x1:1
# text = The butterfly uncurled its proboscis to drink nectar.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	butterfly	butterfly	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	uncurled	uncurl	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	drink	drink	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	_
8	nectar	nectar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **uncurl** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **drink** | to-infinitive |  | nectar |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nectar=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A mosquito bites with its proboscis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:x2:1
# text = A mosquito bites with its proboscis.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	mosquito	mosquito	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	bites	bite	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bite** | present | a mosquito |  |  |  |  | with mosquito's proboscis | vn swat-18.2 «NP V PP PP»: agent=Agent with proboscis=Instrument |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An elephant's trunk is a kind of proboscis.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:x3:1
# text = An elephant's trunk is a kind of proboscis.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	elephant	elephant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	trunk	trunk	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	kind	kind	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a elephant's trunk | a kind |  |  |  | of proboscis | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The proboscis monkey has an enormous nose.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:x4:1
# text = The proboscis monkey has an enormous nose.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	monkey	monkey	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	enormous	enormous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	nose	nose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | the proboscis monkey | a enormous nose |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent nose=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A moth's proboscis can be longer than its body.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:x5:1
# text = A moth's proboscis can be longer than its body.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	moth	moth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
5	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
7	longer	long	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
8	than	than	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	body	body	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | can | a moth's proboscis |  |  |  |  | than proboscis's body; long *property* | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bee pushed its proboscis deep into the flower.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:proboscis:x6:1
# text = The bee pushed its proboscis deep into the flower.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bee	bee	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	pushed	push	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	proboscis	proboscis	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	deep	deep	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
7	into	into	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	flower	flower	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **push** | past | the bee | bee's proboscis |  | the flower |  | deep *property* | vn funnel-9.3-1-1 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent proboscis=Theme into flower=Destination |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [problem](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/problem/)
- next →: [procedure](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/procedure/)
- ↑ back to [P in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/)