nightcrawler
|night-crawl-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈnaɪtˌkrɔːlɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˈnaɪtˌkrɔːlə/
one who crawls at night
Etymology
'nightcrawler' originates from English, a compound of 'night' and 'crawler'; 'night' comes from Old English 'niht' meaning 'night', and 'crawler' is the agent form of 'crawl' (from Old English roots meaning 'to creep').
'night-crawler' appeared in early 19th-century English (often hyphenated or as two words) meaning 'one that crawls at night' and later consolidated into the single word 'nightcrawler'.
Initially it meant 'one that crawls at night' (literal); over time it came to be used specifically for earthworms used as bait and figuratively for people who are active at night or who prowl at night.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a large earthworm (especially Lumbricus terrestris) commonly used as fishing bait.
He baited his hook with a nightcrawler.
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Noun 2
a person who is active late at night; a nocturnal person (informal).
She's a real nightcrawler and does her best work after midnight.
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Noun 3
someone who prowls or moves about at night, often with suspicious or criminal intent (informal).
Police warned residents about a nightcrawler seen near the alley.
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Noun 4
(Proper noun) A Marvel Comics character named Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), a blue-skinned mutant with teleportation abilities.
Nightcrawler first appeared in X-Men comics.
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Last updated: 2025/08/31 22:05