earthworm

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 (“earthworm”), West Frisian ierdwjirm (“earthworm”), Dutch aardworm (“earthworm”), less common German Erdwurm (“earthworm”).

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earthworm (plural earthworms)

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

• (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)

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

• “earthworm”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “earthworm”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• Earthworm on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• heartworm