segmented worm
- noun
- /ˈsɛɡmɛntɪd wɜrm/
:
gusano segmentado
- Segmented worms like earthworms play a crucial role in soil health by aerating it.
Examples
-
The leech is a type of segmented worm that is often found in freshwater environments.
-
"Insects as a child, arachnids, segmented worms.
Fiction book (2002) -
They more nearly resembled caterpillars: segmented worms with a couple of dozen frail legs that bunched up near a complicated face with a triple jaw.
Fiction book (2002) -
Scientists study segmented worms to better understand how their segmented bodies contribute to their movement.
Synonyms
299
1.0
A small soft animal without legs that lives in soil or water
1
9.6
A worm with a long body divided into segments, like an earthworm
A long soft animal with a body made of many rings, like earthworms and leeches
A sea worm with many body segments and small bristles on each segment
Antonyms
- Specialized
A very small thin animal with a pointed body that lives in soil or inside other living things
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'segmented' (divided into segments) modifies 'worm' (a limbless invertebrate), so the phrase literally describes a worm with body segments. This follows a regular adjective + noun pattern that is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Segmented worm names a worm whose long body is made of many ring-like parts called segments. Imagine a tube of small rings that move together; that's why the name means 'a worm divided into parts'.