eelworm
|eel-worm|
🇺🇸
/ˈiːl.wɜrm/
🇬🇧
/ˈiːl.wɜːm/
small eel‑like worm (nematode)
Etymology
'eelworm' originates from English, specifically the words 'eel' and 'worm', where 'eel' came from Old English 'ǣl' meaning 'eel (the fish)' and 'worm' came from Old English 'wyrm' meaning 'serpent' or 'worm'.
'eel' (Old English 'ǣl') and 'worm' (Old English 'wyrm') combined in English to form the compound 'eelworm'; the compound was used historically to denote small eel‑like worms and later applied to nematodes and parasitic roundworms.
Initially, it meant 'an eel‑like worm' in a general sense, but over time it came to be used especially for nematodes (parasitic roundworms), including plant‑parasitic species.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a nematode (roundworm); generally any small, threadlike parasitic roundworm.
The biologist identified the eelworm under the microscope.
Synonyms
Noun 2
specifically, a plant‑parasitic nematode that attacks roots and can cause root damage or disease in crops.
Farmers worried that eelworm infestations would ruin the potato crop.
Synonyms
Noun 3
(Archaic) Any small eel‑like worm or larval form resembling an eel in shape.
In older natural histories the term eelworm was used for various tiny, eel‑shaped creatures.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/03 12:10