The Collaborative International Dictionary
Meal \Meal\, n. [OE. mele, AS. melu, melo; akin to D. meel, G. mehl, OHG. melo, Icel. mj["o]l, SW. mj["o]l, Dan. meel, also to D. malen to grind, G. mahlen, OHG., OS., & Goth. malan, Icel. mala, W. malu, L. molere, Gr. my`lh mill, and E. mill. [root]108. Cf. Mill, Mold soil, Mole an animal, Immolate, Molar.]
Grain (esp. maize, rye, or oats) that is coarsely ground and unbolted; also, a kind of flour made from beans, pease, etc.; sometimes, any flour, esp. if coarse.
-
Any substance that is coarsely pulverized like meal, but not granulated.
Meal beetle (Zo["o]l.), the adult of the meal worm. See Meal worm, below.
Meal moth (Zo["o]l.), a lepidopterous insect ( Asopia farinalis), the larv[ae] of which feed upon meal, flour, etc.
Meal worm (Zo["o]l.), the larva of a beetle ( Tenebrio molitor) which infests granaries, bakehouses, etc., and is very injurious to flour and meal.
Usage examples of "tenebrio molitor".
While as an earwitness he was able to tell how many wheat beetles, including pupas and doodle bugs, how many ichneumon flies and flour beetles resided in it, he was able with his ear to the sack to indicate the exact number of mealworms -- Tenebrio molitor-- present in a hundredweight of wheat flour.