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wormhole

wormhole

3 5.4
A small hole in wood or soil made by a worm
  • noun
  • /ˈwɜrmˌhoʊl/
translation icon : agujero
  • The garden was full of wormholes left by the earthworms burrowing in the rich soil.

Examples

  • Edwards' research showing that chemicals applied to fields may take shortcuts through wormholes to end up more quickly in groundwater made some people question the value of worms.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Kemper has also seen worms create so many wormholes in a furrow during irrigation that water ceased to reach the lower end of the field.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The rest of the year, the wormholes funnel clean rainwater rapidly downward before it can be contaminated by pesticides.

    Academic text (1995)
  • When these wormholes were present in an artist's woodblock, they resulted in empty circles within the inked prints made from the woodblock.

    Blog text (25)
  • Staricka says the freezing and thaw cycle can expand soil cracks and wormholes, helping to open up compacted soil.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Topsoil is improved and erosion is almost eliminated, partly because rainwater puddles drain through wormholes rather than run across fields, carrying away topsoil.

    Academic text (1995)
  • You will find wormholes in many wooden surfaces, like old furniture or tree stumps.

  • After digging, she noticed several small wormholes in the ground where the worms had been active.

Synonyms

hole
vswormhole
1.0

An opening in something, often made by people or nature

is specifically created by burrowing creatures rather than any cause

Surface Forms

wormhole singular
wormholes plural

Morphology

wormhole = worm + hole (transparent) = worm + hole

Literal compound of 'worm' + 'hole'; an average learner who knows the components can derive the meaning.

Etymology

Wormhole comes from the two simple words worm and hole, and it originally means a 'small hole' a worm or insect makes in wood, fruit, or soil, like the tiny round marks you see in an apple. So a wormhole can mean that ordinary little natural hole.