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wriggler

wriggler

7.6
A small larva that lives in water and moves by twisting
  • noun
  • /ˈrɪɡlər/
  • UK
translation icon : larva
  • Look at that wriggler swimming in the pond!

Examples

  • You can often spot wriggler activity near the surface of stagnant water.

  • The mosquito wriggler floated beneath the surface of the water, moving in small, twisting motions.

  • Scientists collected several wrigglers for study under the microscope.

  • The pond was teeming with wrigglers after the rain last week.

  • The wriggler is a common sight in stagnant water.

  • Observing the clear pond, I noticed several wrigglers darting around, stirring up tiny particles in the water.

  • As part of their life cycle, the wriggler transforms into a flying adult after spending days swimming in the pond.

Synonyms

wiggler
vswriggler
  • US
1 8.7

A young mosquito that swims in standing water and wiggles

has the same sense but is spelled with an extra r in writing

Surface Forms

wriggler singular
wrigglers plural

Morphology

wriggler = wriggle (transparent) = wriggle + er

Formed by the productive noun-forming suffix '-er' on the verb 'wriggle', so the meaning 'one who wriggles' is directly derivable.

Etymology

The word wriggler comes from the verb wriggle, which means 'to twist' or 'to move with small turns' and is like the common word wiggle. That's why a wriggler is the name for a small water larva, such as a baby mosquito, that twists and turns at the surface of the water.