peanut worm

1 9.9

A small sea worm that pulls its front part into its body and looks like a peanut

noun

Specialized

: gusano cacahuate

The peanut worm quickly retracts its head when threatened by predators.

Examples

On the seafloor, peanut worms burrow into mud and sand for protection.
Marine biologists studied the feeding habits of the peanut worm in coastal waters.
The peanut worm is often found in sandy ocean floors.
Have you ever seen a peanut worm before?
Marine biologists studied the unique behavior of the peanut worm that resembles a peanut when it retracts into its body.
On the seafloor, the peanut worm burrows into the mud for protection against predators.
The peanut worm is often mistaken for a small peanut due to its shape and behavior when disturbed.

Synonyms

worm

vspeanut worm

301 1.0

A small soft animal without legs that lives in soil or water

is a specific marine type that retracts its front and resembles a small nut

phylum Sipuncula

vspeanut worm

Specialized

1 9.9

A group of soft sea worms with a front part you can pull inside, called peanut worms

is the everyday descriptive term for members of that phylum

Sipuncula

vspeanut worm

Specialized

1 9.9

A group of sea worms without body segments that burrow in shallow water

is the common name that highlights their retracting front and shape

sipunculid

vspeanut worm

Specialized

9.9

A small sea worm that pulls its front end into its body and looks like a peanut

is the common descriptive name rather than the scientific taxonomic label

Surface Forms

peanut worm singular

peanut worms plural

Morphology

peanut + worm

The meaning is directly compositional: 'peanut' + 'worm' describes a worm that resembles a peanut in shape. This literal noun-compound pattern is regular in English (and in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Peanut worm may come from the animal's shape: when it pulls its head in, its soft body becomes short and round like a peanut. So the name now means a small sea worm that looks like a peanut.