worm lizard
1
9.7
- noun
- /wɜrm ˈlɪzərd/
- Specialized
- The worm lizard spends most of its life underground, searching for insects to eat.
Examples
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Biologists discovered a new species of worm lizard in the rainforests of South America.
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Despite its name, the worm lizard is neither a worm nor a true lizard.
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The worm lizard is often found in sandy soils.
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Have you ever seen a worm lizard in the wild?
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Biologists discovered a new species of worm lizard in the rainforests of South America.
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The worm lizard spends most of its life underground, searching for insects to eat.
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Despite its name, the worm lizard is neither a worm nor a true lizard.
Synonyms
160
1.0
A small animal with scaly skin, four legs, and a long tail
100
1.8
A cold-blooded animal with dry scaly skin that lays soft-shelled eggs on land, like a snake or lizard
1
8.0
An animal like a lizard but without legs that looks like a snake
A group of reptiles without legs that live underground and look like worms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound directly combines 'worm' and 'lizard' to describe a lizard that resembles a worm, so a learner who knows both words can infer a limbless, worm-like reptile. This simple noun–noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Worm lizard is a name for a reptile that looks like a long worm but is actually a lizard that lives underground and has no legs. Because it looks like a 'worm' yet is a 'lizard', the name gives a clear picture of this burrowing animal.