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worm

worm

299 1.0
A small soft animal without legs that lives in soil or water
  • noun
  • /wɜrm/
translation icon : gusano
  • The gardener found several worms in the moist soil, helping to aerate it.
  • parasitic worms
  • earth worms
  • worms eat

People like to use things like pure worm castings, things like that.

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Examples

  • Alberts asked them to count the worms collected in the tanks in future runoff events.

    Academic text (1995)
  • I see two things, a lot of worms and a lot of mercury.

  • I actually also see a lot of worm life going on.

  • I'll eat this worm for $5.

  • People just hate the idea of having worms, perhaps because you can see them.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Hey, let's just pull out two of those worms from that can.

  • Look at all the worms.

  • I found a whole bag of worms, but they are all so swollen.

  • The grass provides an insulating cover that helps protect the worms from temperature extremes.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The worms certainly came out when it rained on Worm Day in Coshocton, Ohio, last year.

    Academic text (1995)

Synonyms

earthworm
vsworm
16 1.3

A small long worm that lives in soil and helps make soil healthy

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate living in soil or water
tapeworm
vsworm
15 5.2

A long flat creature that lives inside the intestines of people or animals

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate group not confined to internal parasites
crawler
vsworm
  • US
4 5.4

A small worm that lives in soil and is often used as bait for fish

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate not identified by that behavior
hookworm
vsworm
  • Specialized
4 6.0

A small worm with a hooked mouth that lives in human or animal intestines and drinks blood

is the wider small soft-bodied invertebrate group, not necessarily parasitic
flatworm
vsworm
  • Specialized
4 7.0

A soft worm with a flat body that lives inside other animals or on the sea floor

is the broader small elongated animal, not specifically flattened
nematode
vsworm
  • Specialized
4 8.6

A small worm with a long smooth body that lives in soil or water

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate that includes many types
roundworm
vsworm
3 5.5

A long round animal pointed at both ends that sometimes lives as a parasite

is the general small elongated invertebrate not focused on shape or parasitism
inchworm
vsworm
3 5.3

A small green caterpillar that moves by making a loop with its body

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate, not limited to caterpillar movement
annelid
vsworm
  • Specialized
1 9.6

A worm with a long body divided into segments, like an earthworm

is a broader small soft-bodied invertebrate not limited to segments
sandworm
vsworm
1 7.2

A worm that lives in sand, used as fishing bait or shown in stories as a giant creature

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate not tied to sandy habitat
threadworm
vsworm
  • UK
1 8.1

A small worm that lives in the intestines of people, especially children

is the general small soft-bodied animal, not specifically an intestinal parasite
platyhelminth
vsworm
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A flat worm that lives inside animals or in water

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate, not limited to that phylum
red worm
vsworm
1 2.1

A small red earthworm that lives in soil, helps make soil better, and people use it as fishing bait

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate not limited to red coloration
annelid worm
vsworm
  • Specialized
7.7

A long soft animal with a body made of many rings, like earthworms and leeches

is the more general small elongated soft-bodied invertebrate
5.1

A worm with a long body made of many ring-shaped parts like an earthworm or leech

is the general category of small soft-bodied invertebrates
nematode worm
vsworm
  • Specialized
7.1

A very small thin animal with a pointed body that lives in soil or inside other living things

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate category covering many forms
lungworm
vsworm
  • Specialized
8.0

A small creature that lives in the lungs of animals or people and causes coughing

is the broad small soft-bodied invertebrate not tied to a specific organ
trematode worm
vsworm
  • Specialized
9.0

A flat parasite with suckers that lives in animals or people

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate not defined by flat shape
hairworm
vsworm
  • Specialized
9.0

A long thin animal that lives inside insects like grasshoppers

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate, not necessarily extremely thin
ribbon worm
vsworm
8.9

A long soft sea animal that can stretch and reach prey with a thin mouth tube

is the wider small soft-bodied invertebrate category not limited to that behavior
peanut worm
vsworm
  • Specialized
9.9

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

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate not specific to that defense
polychaete worm
vsworm
  • Specialized
9.9

A sea worm with many body segments and small bristles on each segment

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate not restricted to marine bristles
lugworm
vsworm
  • UK
8.2

A sea worm often dug up and used as fishing bait

is the general small soft-bodied animal, not specifically a marine bait species
dew worm
vsworm
8.9

A large earthworm that comes out at night or when the ground is wet and people use for fishing

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate, not defined by size or time of activity
angleworm
vsworm
  • US
8.7

A common earthworm used as bait for fishing

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate not specified for fishing use
fishing worm
vsworm
2.5

A worm that people use as bait to catch fish

is the broad small soft-bodied invertebrate category, not defined by use as bait
fishworm
vsworm
6.3

A worm, often an earthworm, used to catch fish

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate, not defined by fishing context
army worm
vsworm
  • Specialized
7.4

A caterpillar that moves in large groups and eats crops like grass and grain

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate term that also includes larvae
waxworm
vsworm
6.0

A soft caterpillar often fed to reptiles and birds or used in science

is the broader small soft-bodied invertebrate label that includes some larvae
tree worm
vsworm
7.4

A small insect that eats tree leaves, bark, or wood and damages the tree

is the general small soft-bodied invertebrate not specifically a tree pest

Idioms

9.1

To be very ashamed and think you are worthless

oh worm
  • Slang
9.9

A short phrase people say to show mild disappointment

the worm turns
  • Informal
9.9

A change when someone treated badly starts to fight back

People who act early are more likely to succeed

Compounds

2 7.9

Rotten food that is not safe to eat

Guinea worm disease
  • Specialized
1 6.6

An infection from drinking water with baby worms that causes painful blisters when the worm comes out

Guinea worm
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A small parasite that lives in people and comes out through the skin causing strong pain after drinking dirty water

1 2.1

A small red earthworm that lives in soil, helps make soil better, and people use it as fishing bait

parasitic worm
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A small animal that lives inside another animal and takes its food, often causing sickness

wiggle worm
  • Baby Talk
1 7.5

A person, especially a child, who cannot sit still and keeps moving

worm gear
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A gear with a screw shaft that turns a toothed wheel to change direction and make turning slower and stronger

beard worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A thin sea animal that lives in a tube on the deep ocean floor and has tentacles

bladder worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A soft sac in an animal that is filled with fluid and contains a young tapeworm

8.9

A large earthworm that comes out at night or when the ground is wet and people use for fishing

annelid worm
  • Specialized
7.7

A long soft animal with a body made of many rings, like earthworms and leeches

army worm
  • Specialized
7.4

A caterpillar that moves in large groups and eats crops like grass and grain

A worm that people use as bait to catch fish

A small caterpillar with legs only near its head and tail that moves by making a loop

gun worm
  • Archaic
9.9

A tool like a corkscrew for pulling unfired bullets from a musket barrel

nematode worm
  • Specialized
7.1

A very small thin animal with a pointed body that lives in soil or inside other living things

proboscis worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A soft sea animal like a thin worm that stretches a long head to catch food

9.9

A young insect that makes holes in apples and eats their insides

A long soft sea animal that can stretch and reach prey with a thin mouth tube

oligochaete worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A small worm with tiny bristles that lives in soil or water

peanut worm
  • Specialized
9.9

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

polychaete worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A sea worm with many body segments and small bristles on each segment

polychete worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A worm that lives in the sea with many small bristles on its sides that help it move

potato worm
  • Specialized
7.8

A large green caterpillar with white stripes that eats potato and tomato leaves

A worm with a long body made of many ring-shaped parts like an earthworm or leech

tomato worm
  • Specialized
7.2

A large green caterpillar with white stripes that eats tomato and tobacco plants

tongue worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A small wormlike parasite with hooks that lives inside the nose of animals like dogs or cows

7.4

A small insect that eats tree leaves, bark, or wood and damages the tree

trematode worm
  • Specialized
9.0

A flat parasite with suckers that lives in animals or people

spiny-headed worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A parasite that lives in animal intestines and can pull its spiny head back to hold on

velvet worm
  • Specialized
9.8

A small soft animal with velvety skin that catches prey with sticky slime

vinegar worm
  • Specialized
9.9

A very small worm that lives in vinegar and eats tiny living things that make it turn sour

7.2

A container where worms turn kitchen scraps into soil for plants

worm fence
  • Archaic
9.1

A fence made of wooden rails laid in a zigzag pattern

worm fish
  • Specialized
9.9

A small, long tropical fish that lives in shallow water and hides in seagrass

worm lizard
  • Specialized
9.7

A reptile without legs that lives underground and looks like a worm

worm salamander
  • Specialized
9.1

A small thin salamander that looks like a worm and lives on the Pacific coast of the United States

A small thin snake that looks like a worm and lives under stones or logs

worm wheel
  • Specialized
8.4

A gear that fits with a screw-shaped gear to turn movement at a right angle

How Complex

mammal
198 1.0
fish
888 1.0
worm
299 1.0
sponge
14 5.2
single-celled
  • Specialized
8 4.3

Surface Forms

worm singular
worms plural

Etymology

The word worm comes from an old English word wyrm, meaning 'creeping creature' or 'snake', and was used for small animals that move by wriggling. So a worm is easy to remember as the little soft animal that creeps through soil.