Dictionary

earthworm en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɜː(ɹ)θˌwɜː(ɹ)m/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English erthe-worm, erþe-worm, erþe worm (also as worm of þe erthe, worm of þe erþe), equivalent to earth + worm. Compare Saterland Frisian Äidwurm (“earthworm”), West Frisian ierdwjirm (“earthworm”), Dutch aardworm (“earthworm”), less common German Erdwurm (“earthworm”).

Meanings

1. A worm that lives in the ground.
   • It does not, however, happen that the whole spermatosphere is converted into spermatoblasts; there remains a passive portion, which in the earthworm occupies a central position; this is the "sperm-blasophore," or "blastophoral cell." 1880, Journal of Microscopy, volume 3:
2. A worm of the family Lumbricidae, or, more generally, of the suborder Lumbricina.
   • Before the study was begun, the known oligochaete fauna of Tasmania consisted of six species of aquatic microdriles, twenty-three indigenous species of megascolecid earthworms, and introduced earthworms of the family Lumbricidae. 1975, Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Zoology, volume 26, page 205:
3. (figuratively) A contemptible person; a groveller.

Forms

Deriveds

earthworm eel · giant Gippsland earthworm

Hyponyms

fishworm (a ground-living worm) · angleworm (a ground-living worm) · fishing worm (a ground-living worm) · baitworm (a ground-living worm)

Synonyms

groundworm (a ground-living worm) · red wiggler (a ground-living worm) · rainworm (a ground-living worm) · nightcrawler (a ground-living worm) · nightwalker (a ground-living worm) · wiggler (a ground-living worm) · dew worm (a ground-living worm) · red worm (a ground-living worm)

Translations (164)

hu csúszómászó (person) · gv dhiane (worm (animal)) · pdt Räajenworm (worm (animal)) · lv slieka (worm (animal)) · nan-hbl 牛貫 /牛贯 (worm (animal)) · lb Reewuerm (worm (animal)) · fo reyðmaðkur (worm (animal)) · mk глиста (worm (animal)) · lo ຖັກແທ່ (worm (animal)) · sk dážďovka (worm (animal)) · ast merucu (worm (animal)) · it lombrico (worm (animal)) · pa ਗੰਡੋਇਆ (worm (animal)) · gl lombriga (worm (animal)) · de Erdwurm (worm (animal)) · cy mwydyn (worm (animal)) · ccc taykonono (worm (animal)) · hak 䘆公 (worm (animal)) · scn scravagghiu (person) · fi kasteliero (worm (animal)) · rif adan n tmurt (worm (animal)) · enm worm (worm (animal)) · ga anglach (worm (animal)) · el σκουλήκι (person) · de Aalwurm (worm (animal)) · kw bulugen (worm (animal)) · pt minhoca (worm (animal)) · cs žížala (worm (animal)) · eu zizare (worm (animal)) · lo ໃສ້ເດືອນ (worm (animal)) · nan-hbl 杜蚓 (worm (animal)) · cy abwydyn (worm (animal)) · hi केंचुआ (worm (animal)) · cs dešťovka (worm (animal)) · scn vermu (person) · es lombriz térrea (worm (animal)) · vi giun đất (worm (animal)) · ga agaill (worm (animal)) · id cacing tanah (worm (animal)) · bho केंचुआ (worm (animal)) · ay sillq'u (worm (animal)) · es lambrija (worm (animal)) · ca cuc de terra (worm (animal)) · kw buluk (worm (animal)) · es lombriz de tierra (worm (animal)) · kpv нидзув (worm (animal)) · chr ᎤᏥᏯ (worm (animal)) · rgn madavèscul (worm (animal)) · ga cuideog (worm (animal)) · hi केचुआ (worm (animal)) · cho lakcho (worm (animal)) · de Tauwurm (worm (animal)) · cmn 蚯蚓 (worm (animal)) · hi किञ्चिलिक (worm (animal)) · koi нидзыв (worm (animal)) · enm maddok (worm (animal)) · rsk хлїста (worm (animal)) · rgn mondavèscuv (worm (animal)) · udm нӥзили (worm (animal)) · gl miñoca (worm (animal)) · vo lumbrig (worm (animal)) · lt sliekas (worm (animal)) · ar خُرْطُون (worm (animal)) · ta மண்புழு (worm (animal)) · no meitemakk (worm (animal)) · eo tervermo (worm (animal)) · ru червя́к (person) · zu umsundu (worm (animal)) · mnc ᠪᡝᡨᡝᠨ (worm (animal)) · tr yer solucanı (worm (animal)) · es gusano de tierra (worm (animal)) · th รากดิน (worm (animal)) · da regnorm (worm (animal)) · sq glistër (worm (animal)) · th ไส้เดือน (worm (animal)) · alt чойлошкон (worm (animal)) · roa-gal bidjin (worm (animal)) · mr गांडूळ (worm (animal)) · scn casèntaru (worm (animal)) · hi केँचुवा (worm (animal)) · as কেঁচু (worm (animal)) · nan-hbl 塗蚓 /涂蚓 (worm (animal)) · cjm laning (worm (animal)) · tyz đươn (worm (animal)) · fr lombric (worm (animal)) · nrf vèr dé tèrre (worm (animal)) · el σκουληκαντέρα (worm (animal)) · lo ກະເດືອນ (worm (animal)) · eo lumbriko (worm (animal)) · hi दीप्तरस (worm (animal)) · mn чийгийн улаан хорхой (worm (animal)) · sv daggmask (worm (animal)) · io lombriko (worm (animal)) · el γαιοσκώληκας (worm (animal)) · hu talpnyaló (person) · gld пэнтэ (worm (animal)) · paw piiruskiraararuut (worm (animal)) · fr lèche (worm (animal)) · cy pryf genwair (worm (animal)) · tl bulateng lupa (worm (animal)) · sq rrajzë (worm (animal)) · ca llambric (worm (animal)) · ar دُودَة الْأَرْض (worm (animal)) · ka ჭიაყელა (worm (animal)) · ami 'atikak (worm (animal)) · ja 蚯蚓 (worm (animal)) · dz ལྕོང་འབུཔ (worm (animal)) · vo tailavum (worm (animal)) · rgn madavèscol (worm (animal)) · hy անձրևորդ (worm (animal)) · te వానపాము (worm (animal)) · fr ver de terre (worm (animal)) · az soxulcan (worm (animal)) · pl dżdżownica (worm (animal)) · sa किञ्चिलिक (worm (animal)) · ru дождево́й че́рвь (worm (animal)) · vi trùn (worm (animal)) · mww cua nab (worm (animal)) · fi kastemato (worm (animal)) · nl aardworm (worm (animal)) · ru земляно́й червь (worm (animal)) · ast llombriz (worm (animal)) · is ánamaðkur (worm (animal)) · iba belut (worm (animal)) · enm erþe worm (worm (animal)) · ml മണ്ണിര (worm (animal)) · ms cacing tanah (worm (animal)) · yue 蚯蚓 (worm (animal)) · et vihmauss (worm (animal)) · de Gemeiner Regenwurm (worm (animal)) · sw choo (worm (animal)) · ba селәүсен (worm (animal)) · ga péist talún (worm (animal)) · fi liero (person) · he שִׁלְשׁוּל (worm (animal)) · nv łeeyiʼ chʼosh (worm (animal)) · es gusano terrero (worm (animal)) · hu földigiliszta (worm (animal)) · gl mioca (worm (animal)) · nl regenworm (worm (animal)) · xal улан хорха (worm (animal)) · bn কেঁচো (worm (animal)) · ro râmă (worm (animal)) · fa کرم خاکی (worm (animal)) · sa किञ्चुलुक (worm (animal)) · ttj omuniongorozi class 3 (worm (animal)) · za ndwen (worm (animal)) · jv cacing lemah (worm (animal)) · es miñosa (worm (animal)) · la lumbrīcus (worm (animal)) · de Kriecher (person) · gun evo'i (worm (animal)) · cmn 地龍 /地龙 (worm (animal)) · ko 지렁이 (worm (animal)) · nan-hbl 杜蚓仔 (worm (animal)) · ota صوغلجان (worm (animal)) · ang reġnwyrm (worm (animal)) · sh глиста (worm (animal)) · de Regenwurm (worm (animal)) · bg дъждовен червей (worm (animal)) · grc γαφάγας (worm (animal)) · sh glista (worm (animal)) · sw choo (person) · no meitemark (worm (animal))