EARTHWORM

earthworm, angleworm, fishworm, fishing worm, wiggler, nightwalker, nightcrawler, crawler, dew worm, red worm

(noun) terrestrial worm that burrows into and helps aerate soil; often surfaces when the ground is cool or wet; used as bait by anglers

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

earthworm (plural earthworms)

A worm that lives in the ground.

A worm of the family Lumbricidae, or, more generally, of the suborder Lumbricina.

(figurative) A contemptible person; a groveller.

Synonyms

• (a ground-living worm): rainworm, groundworm; wiggler, red worm, red wiggler (Southern US); nightwalker (New England); nightcrawler (Northern US, Western US); dew worm (US Great Lakes region, Canada)

Hyponyms

• (a ground-living worm): baitworm; fishworm (Northern US, Central US); angleworm (Northern US); fishing worm (Southern US) - fish bait

Anagrams

• heartworm

Source: Wiktionary

Earth"worm`, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Definition: Any worm of the genus Lumbricus and allied genera, found in damp soil. One of the largest and most abundant species in Europe and America is L. terrestris; many others are known; -- called also angleworm and dewworm.

2. A mean, sordid person; a niggard. Norris.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition