army worm
- noun
- /ˈɑrmi wɜrm/
- Specialized
:
gusano del ejército
- The invasion of army worms devastated the farmer's wheat fields.
- beet army worm
Examples
-
Have you seen an army worm before?
-
Scientists are searching for natural predators to control the spread of army worms.
-
After the rain, army worms began migrating across the lawn in thick lines.
-
The army worm invaded the farmer's field overnight.
-
During the summer, a swarm of army worms devastated our field of corn.
-
Farmers are concerned about the invasion of army worms that could ruin their barley crop.
-
The sudden appearance of army worms prompted farmers to take immediate action to protect their fields.
Synonyms
A caterpillar that moves in large groups and eats crops like grain
A moth whose caterpillars move in large groups and eat crops
A moth whose caterpillars, called armyworms, travel in large groups and eat grain and alfalfa crops
A caterpillar that moves in large groups and eats crops like wheat and alfalfa
A caterpillar that eats and destroys corn and other grass crops
A group of moths whose caterpillars, called armyworms, eat farm crops
A group of moths whose caterpillars eat crops and can be pests
A group of moths whose caterpillars are armyworms that damage crops
A moth whose caterpillars, called fall armyworms, eat and destroy crops like maize
A caterpillar that eats the leaves of beets and other vegetables and damages crops
A moth whose caterpillars, called beet armyworms, eat many crops
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'army' (a large organized group) with 'worm' to denote worms that move in large numbers and attack crops; this meaning is a direct, describable extension of the constituent words. It follows regular English compounding patterns and a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer it refers to a swarm-like pest even if they don't know the exact species.
Etymology
Army worm comes from the way these caterpillars move in long lines across fields, like an army of worms, eating crops as they go. That's why it means 'a caterpillar that moves in large groups and destroys crops'.
