earthworm

Meaning

Noun

• A worm that lives in the ground.
• A worm of the family Lumbricidae, or, more generally, of the suborder Lumbricina (suborder).
• A contemptible person; a groveller.

Related

Similar words

• rainworm, groundworm; wiggler, red worm, red wiggler ; nightwalker ; nightcrawler ; dew worm

Narrower meaning words

• baitworm; fishworm ; angleworm ; fishing worm  - fish bait

Origin

• From Middle English erthe-worm, erþe-worm, erþe worm (also as worm of þe erthe, worm of þe erþe), equivalent to earth + worm. Compare Saterland Frisian Äidwurm, West Frisian ierdwjirm, Dutch aardworm, less common German Erdwurm.