earthworm

earth-worm · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A burrowing annelid worm that lives in soil and helps aerate and enrich it.

Forms

plural: earthworms

Related words

See also: compost, soil, worm
Synonyms: angleworm, nightcrawler, worm

Etymology

A compound from Old English eorthe (earth) + wyrm (worm, serpent). The term has been used since Middle English to describe these beneficial soil-dwelling creatures.